KNowing Where You Need to Be
by mermers
Summary: Spike's life is changing. He is in a relationship with a real person yet his relationship with his father is still on shaky ground. Can he change that before it is too late. Spike/OC
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** This is a follow up story to my first FF "It's a Second Chance." It might help to read that story before you start this one, but not mandatory. I have tried to provide the necessary backstory in this story as well. If you chose not to and get confused, feel free to private message me with questions and I will do my best to answer them. I am not sure I like the way this is coming out...seems a little trite, but let me know what you think.

**Disclaimer:** Although I love Flashpoint, I sadly own nothing related to hit.

* * *

**Knowing Where You Need To Be**

Spike rolled over and looked at the petite woman lying next to him. Her disheveled, strawberry blonde hair was splashed across the pillow. He gazed at her face looking at the scar on her forehead that was nearly healed and the one on her lip that was just beginning to heal. The bruises that darkened her cheek had started to fade. The memory of the events over the last week were still etched in his mind.

He had been kidnapped, along with Natalie Braddock, by a former member of the SRU, TJ Ward, who had a grudge against detective Anisa McConnell. With a bomb strapped to his chest and paralytic drugs coursing through his veins, he was powerless to help Anisa rescue Natalie and himself from death. Somehow she had managed to accomplish this, although she was nearly paralyzed in the process. Following the incident, Ward had been taken into custody.

Two days after Anisa had been released from the hospital, Spike returned to work. After shift Spike learned that Ward had escaped custody and was at large in Toronto. Spike tried and failed to reach Anisa and knew that Ward was going to try to finish what he had started. When Spike arrived at her apartment, he saw that Ward had Anisa at gunpoint. It took every ounce of courage and restraint that he had to maintain his composure to get her to safety. He managed to do this and kill Ward in the process. Anisa had sustained a couple of broken ribs and some cuts and bruises, but nothing life threatening.

Lying there in the bed, Spike remembered the first time he professed his love to her...he was tied to chair with a bomb strapped to his chest. He recognized that it was not an ideal time for such a revelation. She had responded by showing her love for him by risking her life to save him. Spike wasn't sure what the future held for him but he hoped that it would include her.

She began to stir and he smiled as she opened her eyes.

"Hey you," she greeted sleepily.

"Hey yourself," he smiled back at her.

"What ya doing?" she asked.

"Just counting your freckles...keep still I lost count," he joked. He knew that she hated her freckles, but he loved them. She chuckled at him and winced from the pain in her ribs.

"You OK?" He asked with concern in his voice. "You have to be careful."

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just quit making me laugh," she said.

"That's gonna be tough because that is what I do," answered Spike. "Maybe I can try something new." He leaned down and kissed her gently.

"Mmm..." she nuzzled against his neck. "I like that change of pace." She brought her lips back to his for a deeper kiss. Spike responded by gently running his hand through her hair and holding her head in place.

As they separated, their breath ragged, Spike said, "We gotta stop, 'Nis. I wanna make love to you more than anything in this world, but with your broken ribs, it'll be too painful."

"Mike, I'll be fine, I promise. Please." she begged.

"Babe, I can't...I won't. I want our first time to be amazing … with absolutely NO pain!" Spike said forcefully.

Anisa groaned in annoyance and sunk back into the pillow. She knew he was right and she wanted the same thing. But, she had never felt this way about anyone before...not even her late husband, Sean. He had been her first love, but they had been young. She knew that if he were still alive that they would have still been together and still in love, but he was gone. He had been dead for nearly 5 years now. The way she felt about Spike was different...deeper somehow. They were connected not just in their hearts, but in their souls.

"I'll make some coffee," said Spike kissing her lightly on the nose before getting out of bed and heading into the kitchen.

Anisa let out a sigh and slowly rolled out of bed. Her ribs didn't feel as bad they had the day before... that 's a good sign. When she entered the kitchen, she smelled coffee and saw that Spike had started making bacon and eggs. She stared at him in his shorts and T-shirt with a myriad of thoughts running through her head. She involuntarily shook her head to rid it of the thoughts that were creeping into her mind.

"Mmmm...bacon! You know, I love it when you make bacon," she said wrapping her arms around his waist from behind.

"I'm Italian...we believe that food is the answer to everything," Spike said with a smile. Anisa poured herself some coffee and helped Spike with breakfast and then sat down to eat.

"So, I'll take you to your doctor's appointment at 11:00. Then, we can do whatever you want," said Spike.

"Don't you have to go back to work?"

"Sarge told me to take as much time as I need. This time I am going to make sure you are OK before I head back to work." Spike put his hand up as a signal for her to not protest.

"OK, Officer Scarlatti. How about I take you to lunch after the appointment?"

"Deal!" Spike answered with a smile.

* * *

Spike took Anisa's hand in his as they left the doctor's office.

"How about burgers for lunch?" suggested Anisa.

"Sounds good," agreed Spike. "Jackson's?" he suggested knowing that was one of her favorites.

Once settled into a booth, Spike and Anisa ordered their burgers... a bacon guacamole burger for her, of course.

As they were eating, Anisa said, "Tell me about your Dad."

Spike took a deep breath then exhaled slowly... where to start, "He is a first generation Italian. Came here for a better life, more opportunities for his family. Got a job as a civil servant. He was the hardest working person I know." He got very quiet and seemed to drift away into his own world.

Anisa touched his hand, "Mike, I'm sorry. You don't have to talk about it."

"That's OK... It's just that he's not crazy about me being a cop. He used to be so proud of me... always bragging to his friends about me winning some award or another. That all changed when I joined the academy. He thought I was wasting my life and putting myself at risk unnecessarily. And now he is sick and there is nothing I can do to make him better. He wants me to leave my job, but I can't, you know. So he won't talk to me." They got quiet, neither knowing what to say.

"Tell me about your parents," said Spike changing the subject in an attempt to lighten the mood.

She told him about her father the businessman who was gregarious and charming. Then talked about her mother who was generous of heart and free spirited. He smiled at the love in her voice when she spoke about them. He knew they had been killed in the attacks on 9/11 and that event had shaped the rest of her life.

"My parents would have loved you," she said wistfully.

Spike smiled shyly, "Why?"

"My dad would have admired your intelligence. He loved reading and would have loved to talk to you about books and then engage you in discussions of history. My mom would have appreciated your sense of humor and playfulness. She was a kid at heart...used to drive my dad crazy...especially the time she taught me how to shoot a pea across the room off of a spoon. We were at a restaurant and dad, who was always very proper, was not amused." Anisa chuckled at the image and then winced slightly at the pain from her ribs.

Anisa got quiet and stared out the window reminiscing. Spike was a afraid that she was becoming melancholy so he reached across the table and took her hand gently rubbing his finger across her knuckles. She smiled at him lifting his hand to her lips kissing his fingers.

Spike said, "You know my mother wants you to come for supper on Sunday." Anisa smiled at the memory of the small Italian woman who had come to visit her in the hospital. She nodded, but then looked down at the coffee cup in her hand.

"I think that maybe I should wait a few weeks until at least some of the scars on my face have healed. I want your dad to like me, and I don't want my face to be a constant reminder of our jobs and the danger associated with them. What do you think?" Spike nodded.

As they finished up, Anisa paid the bill despite Spike's protestations, they climbed into the car and headed back to Anisa's apartment. It was late afternoon when there was a knock on the door and they were both on alert since they were not expecting anyone. Spike saw that it was Anisa's neighbor, Mrs. Cleary, and opened the door to let her in.

Mrs. Cleary gave Spike a big hug when she entered and whispered, "Thank you," in his ear. He just smiled and nodded. The older woman walked over to Anisa who had risen to greet her and hugged her gently. Then she kissed Anisa on each cheek then blessed herself.

"I was so worried," was all she said with despair evident in her voice. "I'm so sorry."

"Mrs. Cleary, it was not your fault. Ward tricked you. And I am OK … so is Mike," said Anisa reassuringly.

Spike emerged from the kitchen carrying tea for all. They visited for a little while then Mrs. Cleary returned to her apartment next door.

As Spike was cleaning up the tea cups, Anisa said, "Mike, you should go home tonight. See your family."

"No," was his answer.

"Really, Mike! You heard the doctor, I'm healing fast and have been cleared to drive. I will be cleared for light duty work in a couple of weeks - maybe less. When was the last time you were home?"

"I went by the other day to get some clothes," Spike answered, wanting the subject over.

"You should go home, have dinner with your parents and go to work tomorrow!" she said a little more forcefully this time.

In a calm voice, he replied as if it was not open for discussion, "I am going to stay with you until you are healed." Spike left the kitchen and sat on the couch.

"Oh my gosh! Are you kidding me? You are planning to stay here and stare at me for the next two weeks?" she was exasperated.

"Doesn't seem like a bad view to me," he smirked.

Anisa was starting to get angry, "If you keep this up, you may need to request hazard pay for this duty!" She stormed into her room and slammed the door. She couldn't believe how unreasonable he was being.

"Welcome back, Sparky," Spike mumbled under his breath knowing that she hated that nickname. Her partner, Ryan Lambert, had given it to her when she lost her temper.

* * *

Anisa was fuming. She was an adult and didn't need to be babysat 24/7 even if it was by the man she loved. She laid down on her bed and covered her eyes with her arm. She knew he was worried about her, but she was fine. The doctor even said she was healing quickly. What was his problem, why was he being so stubborn about this? Then it dawned on her that it was guilt that was driving his behavior. The last time he left her alone and went to work, TJ Ward had broken into her apartment and attempted to kill her. She knew it wasn't his fault, but she didn't know how to make him believe it. She realized that she had been so concerned with her own healing that she hadn't really thought about how he was dealing with it. He had to heal, too. She needed to make this right.

* * *

Spike sat on the couch rubbing the tops of his thighs in an attempt to calm his emotions. He wanted her to understand that he would never let anything happen to her again. He knew she loved him, but she could be so pigheaded. Couldn't she see that he just wanted to take care of her … keep her safe? Yes, she is strong and independent. Those are some of the things that he loved about her. She never really needed anybody to take care of her, but people were always trying to do just that. He knew it drove her crazy. That made him chuckle which loosened the the tension. Now he was one of those annoying people. He couldn't help it, it was just his nature to protect people. He recognized that he was stifling her … trying take away her independence, her freedom. He didn't really want to do that. Spike inhaled deeply knowing that the only answer was to compromise. He rested his elbows on his knees and put his head in his hands. He tried to come up with a compromise that he could live with.

* * *

Anisa opened the bedroom door and saw Spike with his head in his hands and it made her heart ache. She walked over and sat on the coffee table in front of him. She took his hands in hers and pulled them gently away from his face.

"Mike?" she asked gently as she looked into his eyes. "I love you more than anything. I'm sorry I got angry and slammed the door. You know I love having you here and I want you to stay as long as you want to." Anisa hoped that this would give him the time that he needed to heal emotionally.

Spike offered a weak smile as he guided her onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her waist. He kissed her forehead and then said, "Listen, why don't we compromise? I will go home to Ma's cooking tonight and go to work tomorrow. You can have your space, OK?"

She looked at his face trying to see what he was thinking. She said, raising a questioning eyebrow, "Thank you. But how, exactly, is that a compromise? It seems like I am getting what I asked for."

Spike smiled and nuzzled her neck. "Your happy and that makes me happy... so we are both happy. Isn't that the point of a compromise?"

Anisa kissed his chin and said, "Have I told you lately that you are amazing? How about this...You go home get a good meal, go to work tomorrow and come back here tomorrow night? I will contact you regularly... every hour, except when I am sleeping, to let you know that I am alright."

"You make me sound crazy and obsessive...You don't need to do all that. Just stay in touch, OK? It'll make me feel better," he said with a smile.

"Copy that," said Anisa bringing her lips to his.

* * *

A/N: I hope this wasn't too fluffy.


	2. Chapter 2

**Knowing Where You Need To Be**

**A/N: **I am not sure that I am liking this story. I know where I want it to go, but it is taking a long time to get there. This chapter is a little fluff and a little angst. Let me know what you think.

Again, if you are confused, feel free to private message me and I will try to fill you in...or you can read my other story It's a Second Chance

Spoilers for "Run Jamie Run"

Things in _'single quotes and italics'_ are thoughts

Things in **_"double quotes,bold and italics"_ **are texts

**Disclaimer**: Although I love Flashpoint, I sadly own nothing related to it.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

_'Where was she? He couldn't find her.' _ Spike woke with his heart racing. He reached out across the bed. It was empty. He looked around and saw his room and remembered that he had come home last night to give Anisa some space. He sat up rubbing his eyes and looked at the clock. It was nearly 5:00 AM. He got dressed and headed to work to get in a workout before shift. He was in the locker room getting his gym clothes on when his phone buzzed with a text message.

**_"I love you. Stay safe and keep the peace."_** Spike smiled.

**_"Love you, too. What you gonna do today?"_** he typed in response

**_"Thought I would go to the univ and talk to my advisor. I hope I can salvage my semester."_**

**_"OK. Be careful"_**

**_"HaHa. Will do."_**

**_"TTYL"_**

Team One was in the gym working out when the hot call came in for an armed robbery at a corporate board meeting. The subject turned out to be a brilliant high tech teen who had committed robberies both in Canada and the US. He was a loner who had been through the foster system and had come out the other side with a feeling that he was alone in the world...until he met Sage. Spike had a feeling that they were missing something in this investigation. He worked in the truck to find the missing link and it hit him while he was listening to a recorded message between Jamie D and Sage...the sound had been altered. Sage was not a girl, he was actually another teenage boy posing as a girl who had an axe to grind against his step father. He wanted Jamie D to do the dirty work as a form of vengeance for the 'girl' he loved.

In a way, Spike could identify with Jamie D, the teenage loner. Spike had been a bit of an outcast in his teen years since he was young for his grade and kind of a brainiac. Friends didn't flock to him when he was in school, so he threw himself into his interests, computers and explosives. He also made a little money on the side tutoring the jocks.

While Spike had been working at the recording in the truck, his phone buzzed. He saw it was a text from Anisa and knew he would have to wait until the hot call was over before he could look at it. Spike was in the truck watching and listening to Jules talk to the subject and try to get him to drop his gun. There was nothing Spike could do but listen while she managed to disarm him. He had wanted to tell Jamie D that it was going to be OK. He wanted to reassure him that everything would work out, but he couldn't.

On the way back to the barn, Spike was quieter than usual and it did not go unnoticed by Greg.

"You OK, Buddy?"

Spike turned and looked at Greg and said, "Yeah, Boss, I'm OK." Greg had a feeling that Spike identified with Jamie D a little.

"You know, the judge will probably take his life in foster care into consideration and may look at alternative forms of rehabilitation rather than straight jail time."

"Do you think so? It seems like a waste of a great mind, you know," said Spike eagerly.

"I know. Maybe we could put in a good word for him," offered Greg.

"That would be good," responded Spike feeling more at ease knowing that at least Jamie D might have a chance for a future.

As he walked into the briefing room for the debrief, Spike remembered the text message from Anisa and pulled out his phone. Taking his seat, Spike opened the message and saw a picture of Mrs. Cleary holding and soft-serve ice cream cone under her chin like a beard. The caption said "I scream". This was followed by a picture of Anisa with a dollop of ice cream on her nose and the caption, "You scream." The third picture showed Anisa with her arm around Mrs. Cleary, both of them laughing. Of course that picture was followed by the caption, "We all scream for ice cream." Spike giggled at the photos. His phone buzzed in his hand as the rest of the team filed in. He quickly checked the new message from Anisa.

_**"Hope you had a good day. Text when you are on your way home. Miss you. 3"**_

He quickly typed a response: _**"K, love you."**_

The debrief went quickly and the team went to the locker room to change. Spike dressed quickly because he was excited to get home and see Anisa. He turned down an offer from Sam to go to the Goose saying he already had plans. Sam smiled and winked knowing Spike was going home to check on Anisa.

As Spike was heading out of the locker room toward the elevator, he heard Greg say, "Hey Spike, got a second?"

"Yeah, sure boss. What's up?" he said following Greg into the briefing room.

"I talked to the Prosecutor about Jamie D. Turns out the he is not yet 18 so he will be tried as a juvenile. The Prosecutor is going to push to have him placed in a rehabilitation facility for emotionally disturbed youth. That way he can get the psychological help he needs. He agreed that Jamie D didn't deserve to placed into a correctional facility. That's good news, eh?"

"Yeah, it is. Do you think it might help if I went to see him? Kind of let him know that it could get better, you know," Spike asked with hope in his voice.

"It might be a good idea for him to have a mentor when his time is over. Let me check with the Prosecutor and I will get back to you."

Spike waved good-bye to Greg as he entered the elevator. He texted Anisa to let her know he was on his way home. On the drive to her apartment, Spike felt happy. He was relieved that Jamie D might have an opportunity to be a responsible and functional member of society. As he entered the apartment building, his senses were assaulted with the fragrance of cumin, onions, coriander and... cinnamon? Spike was about to unlock the door to the apartment with the key Anisa had given him when he heard Melissa Etheridge playing on the stereo, but when he heard her sing, she did not sound right. It took him a second to realize that Anisa was singing along, causing the lyrics to sound...odd. He quietly unlocked the door and stepped inside. Anisa had not heard him enter the apartment and was dancing around the dining room table laying place settings and belting out "Brave and Crazy". He leaned against the door jam with his hands in his pockets and a smile on his face watching her dance and sing.

When she turned to go back into the kitchen, she saw Spike standing there with a big grin on his face watching her. She froze and felt her face turn crimson. Balling up a napkin, she threw it at his head and it would have hit its mark if Spike hadn't caught it first.

"Hey, don't stop on my account, I was enjoying the show, but I'm not sure that Mrs. Cleary next door is appreciating your rendition of that song," teased Spike. Anisa stomped over to Spike and playfully punched him in the chest.

"What was that for?" he said innocently.

"Making fun of me," she said with a smile on her face. She turned on her heels and started to head to the kitchen. Spike followed after her putting his hands around her waist and turning her to face him.

"I like to see you so happy," he said softly pulling her closer. She placed her hands on his chest and gripping his shirt, pulled him in closer to her.

"You make me happy," she whispered into his lips. Anisa pulled back saying, "gotta check on dinner."

"What are we having? It smells fantastic."

"Butter chicken, vegetable curry, chana dal, basmati rice and raita," she answered. She screwed up her face and said, "I hope you like it."

"It smells great, I'm sure I will love it," he answered reassuringly. "What can I do to help?" She handed him some plates and then carried the meal out to the table. Spike filled his plate with the various dishes before him. Anisa stared at him gnawing on her lower lip as he lifted a forkful to his mouth anticipating his reaction.

"Wow! This is amazing!" said Spike. Anisa hadn't realized that she was holding her breath until she felt herself exhale at that moment. "This is awesome. You should cook this all the time."

Anisa laughed at that comment, "I don't think that is going to happen. It took me all day to make this. Not likely I will do this again any time soon."

"That's a shame, because it is delicious," stated Spike as he continued to eat. "What made you decide to cook this today?"

"The last time you cooked Italian for me you asked me to cook something from my Indian heritage for you. I figured, 'I'm stuck at home, I may as well do something constructive with my free time',"

Anisa explained. They savored the meal and the conversation.

Spike told Anisa about Jamie D and about how relieved he was that he might not be spending the rest of his life in prison and may have a chance at a future. He told her how he was thinking about talking to him or maybe mentoring him if he was interested.

"Mike, that is a great idea. I think it would be great for him to see someone who uses their intelligence to help people and for the good of society."

"Yeah..." said Spike with a smile, "...I could also show him that even a geek can luck out sometimes and land a hot girlfriend," he joked causing her to giggle and blush a little.

"I don't know about all that, but I think it might be good for you both."

"We'll see how it all shakes out. What did you do today?" asked Spike changing the direction of the conversation.

Anisa giggled again. "Did you get my text?"

Spike nodded with a smile, "I was screaming for ice cream, too!"

"Ha Ha... Mrs. Cleary and I had a blast."

"Should I be worried that my girlfriend's best friend is a 65 year old woman?" teased Spike.

"Don't be worried, be thankful...up until a few months ago, she was my only friend other than Ryan and his family. Now I have a few new friends from Team One. Anyway, we had a really nice time." She sat back in her chair and stretched which caused her to wince from the pain in her ribs. Spike saw her reaction but didn't say anything.

"I also went to the university and spoke to my advisor. He said that I could salvage my credits for the semester if I attended a seminar conducted by the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit. It is Monday through Wednesday of next week in Quantico, Virginia." She stopped and looked at Spike trying to gauge his reaction.

Spike put a forkful of chicken in his mouth and chewed it thoroughly and methodically. He was buying himself some time because he felt like saying, 'No, you can't go. You are still injured.' But, he knew that she would be angry if he said that and he also knew that was an unreasonable reaction. It also meant that she would be gone for 3-4 days and which seemed an eternity in his mind. He was trying to develop a compromise to propose.

While he was thinking, Anisa said, "Mike, did you hear me?"

He swallowed and said, "Yep." He knew she was waiting for his reaction. He took a deep breath and then exhaled. "I was trying to think of a reason you couldn't or shouldn't go." He looked at her and saw the fire rising in her eyes so he continued, "But, it sounds like a good opportunity and if it will help you with your Master's degree then you should do it." Spike then crinkled his eyebrows at her and said, "As long as your doctor says it is OK."

She gave him a crooked smile and said, "I promise I will clear it with him first." She looked across the table to Spike who looked as though he was holding something back.

"Mike, are you OK?" she asked knowing that this trip she was proposing was bugging him.

He paused a moment and then looked into her dark blue eyes..."You seem like you are asking my permission. Your an adult...you don't need my permission to do anything." He paused for a moment before continuing, "I am a little worried about you, but that is what I do...I want to protect you and keep you safe. But you are a strong, independent woman and I am adjusting to that. And..." he got quiet for a moment "... honestly I'm going to miss you. You will be gone for at least 3 or 4 days, maybe more." He put on his best puppy dog face and looked up at her with his big brown eyes.

She chuckled a little then said, "Oh my gosh, Mike! You play dirty!" Anisa stood up and walked over to his side of the table never once losing his gaze. The corner of his mouth started to go up into a smirk. She took his face in her hands and firmly planted her lips on his. Spike wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his lap.

As they parted, Spike said with a wicked grin, "I gotta do what I gotta do."

"I love you," said Anisa resting her head on his shoulder, "even if you are a little bit evil." They stayed nestled together until Anisa lifted herself from his lap and said, "I better clean up."

Spike joined her in the kitchen and the two cleaned up the dishes. When all was put away, they settled into the couch and turned on the television. 'The Big Bang Theory' was the first show they came to.

"I love this show," said Anisa. "It's my second favorite geek show."

"Ha ha...What's your first?" inquired Spike.

Reaching up and kissing his chin, she said teasingly, "You are."

"Hey are you calling me a geek? I am wounded," said Spike feigning injury.

"It's not an insult...I find brains very sexy," she said nibbling on his ear.

"Is that so?" said Spike giggling at the sensation. He snaked his arm around her and began to tickle her. Anisa giggled and squirmed then flinched wincing as the pain from her ribs kicked in.

"Oh geez... I'm sorry, babe," said Spike stopping the tickle assault immediately.

"It's OK. I'm fine," she said repositioning herself and snuggling against Spike's side. They relaxed and watched television for a couple of hours just enjoying being near each other. Anisa felt her eyes closing from exhaustion. She gently rose from her cozy position nestled in next to Spike.

"Where ya going?"

"I'm gonna get ready for bed." she explained as she headed into the bedroom.

"Need some help?" asked Spike with a wicked grin.

"Hey, don't offer unless you are willing to follow through," she retorted with a smile and entering her bedroom. She knew that he wouldn't make a move on her until he knew she was no longer in pain.

Spike turned off the TV and followed her into the bedroom. She was pulling off her shirt and reaching carefully behind her to remove her bra. This was the most painful thing she had done all day. Spike entered the room and saw her struggling to reach the hooks. He walked over to her and gently unhooked it for her. He tenderly kissed her shoulder as she finished removing the garment. His gaze fell on the large scar that covered the right side of her upper back. She had gotten that scar when she was stationed as the first female member of a Special Forces team in Afghanistan. He stepped back and looked at the bruises that covered her torso and noted that they had started to fade. Spike gently stroked her skin with the back of his knuckles thinking about the fact that she got those bruises from Ward because he had gone back to work that day. Some of the bruises had begun to fade into a yellowish green color and others were still a fresh blackish purple. The pangs of guilt were stabbing him in the gut.

As Anisa pulled on her T-shirt, she turned to face him saying, "Mike, don't."

She knew he was feeling guilt over the bruises so she wrapped her arms around him pressing her cheek to his chest. He buried his face in her hair inhaling her scent. Soon she felt her breath quickening and a tightening in her gut...in a good way. She pulled back enough to look into his eyes and brought her lips to his pulling his body close again. Running her hands up his back she felt the sinew of his muscled back. _'God she loved the way he felt_.' She pulled away not wanting the situation to get out of hand knowing that they wouldn't be able to take their intimacy further until she was fully healed.

"I have something for you," she said reluctantly pulling herself from his embrace and walking over to her dresser. She picked up a little gift bag and handed it to him.

Spike had a look of confusion on his face when he took the bag from her hand. "What's this?" he said giving her a curious smile.

"It's nothing really. Just open it."

Spike pulled the tissue paper out of the bag and slowly withdrew the items... a can of shaving cream, a toothbrush and a stick of his brand of deodorant. He turned and looked at her raising and eyebrow at her quizzically. Anisa walked back over to the dresser and opened one of the top drawers which was empty.

"This is my way of apologizing for getting angry with you yesterday. I want you to know that I want you here as long as you want to be here. I figured it might be easier if you left some of your stuff here," she looked into his eyes hoping to gauge how he felt about that remark. He looked at her and then at items in the bag. His eyes then came to rest on the empty drawer before him. He brought his eyes back to her face. She was nibbling on her lower lip looking uncertain of herself. _'Why wasn't he saying anything?'_

She looked away and said, "It's not important, it was just and idea." She turned and started to walk away.

Spike didn't know what to think. He loved her and wanted to stay here forever, but he couldn't really say that right now. The thought was a little scary. They had some things they needed to work through. When she turned to walk away he gently grabbed her wrist to stop her.

Giving her a dimple revealing smile. "Thank you," he said earnestly. "How did you know what brand deodorant I use?" he smirked.

She smiled back now that she was sure that she hadn't just overstepped her bounds and scared him away. "I'm observant...and I like the smell," she said winking.

After putting away the deodorant and shaving cream in the space she had made in the medicine cabinet, Spike climbed into bed next to her. Anisa instinctively nestled into the crook of his arm resting her head on his chest. They fit together like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Spike aimlessly traced circles on her arm causing a contented smile to to appear on her lips.

"I have a confession to make," she said quietly. "I know that it did you good to go home last night, but I missed you. I think I have gotten used to having you here."

Spike kissed the top of her head and responded softly smiling, "I missed you, too. Now get some sleep, Bella.*"

* * *

The burning pain in her back was excruciating. She felt herself falling to her knees... she felt arms lifting her to her feet then she heard the shots. She looked up and saw his tender blue eyes lock with hers as he fell to the ground before her. She felt her heart stop as his grip on her loosened. She pulled herself up enough to cover his body from taking further fire. She felt two new sets of arms lift both her and Sean up and carry them to safety. Looking into his eyes, she saw pleading. She held him in her arms as he whispered his final words to her, "I love you... forever."

Anisa's eyes flew open and she realized that her heart was pounding. It had been a while since she had dreamed of Sean that way. As she tried to slow her breathing, her eyes came to rest upon the folded Canadian flag in its memorial frame. She had placed the flag on a shelf in her room for only her to see. It was all that she had left of him and she didn't want to share him with anyone. She quietly climbed out of bed careful not to wake Spike and went into the kitchen to get a glass of water. She wandered into the living room and walked over to one of her packed bookshelves. She pulled down an old photo album and carried it back to the couch. Sitting on the couch with her feet tucked underneath her, Anisa slowly opened the album.

The first picture was of Sean and her outside the church where they were married ...both grinning from ear to ear. The next picture showed the wedding party which consisted of Stephen and Mark, Sean's brothers, and Ryan, her partner, on Sean's side. On Anisa's side, there were Melanie, Ryan's wife, Lynne, a high school friend, and Sue, a friend from the army. They all looked happy. The next few pictures were all random shots from the wedding. One showed a picture of Anisa and Sean dancing and his mother Margaret in the background with a scowl on her face. She never liked Anisa. She didn't think Anisa was good enough and she feared that she would dilute their superior gene pool. Next to Margaret was Leslie the tall, beautiful blonde ex-girlfriend whom Margaret thought would make a much better match for her son.

Anisa stared at a picture of Sean kneeling on one knee and her sitting on his other knee. She had her arm around his neck and her mouth open in a laugh. _'Oh how she had loved him. He had been the moon and the stars to her.'_ She fought the tears that were burning the backs of her eyes. She flipped through a few more pages until she could hold back the grief no longer and she wept.

* * *

Spike rolled over and instinctively reached for Anisa. He just wanted to touch her...know that she was near. But his hand just fell upon cold sheets. His eyes flew open and glanced at the clock. It said 3:48. His heart rate quickened and he bolted up in bed. He could see that the bathroom door was open and that she wasn't in there. He quietly got out of bed and stepped toward the bedroom door. He saw the table light on in the living room and Anisa curled up asleep on the sofa. As he approached he,r he saw that she was clutching something in her arms. Glancing at her face he saw that she had been crying. He thought about carrying her back to bed, but decided that he didn't want to wake her. So, he gently slid the book from her arms and opened it. It was her wedding album. He swallowed the lump in his throat and closed the book placing it on the table. He took a blanket, covered her and then softly kissed the top of her head.

"Buona notte, amore mio,"** he whispered softly as he turned and went back to bed. He fell into a restless sleep.

_*Bella – Beautiful_

_**Buona notte, amore mio - Good night, my love_

* * *

**A/N**: This story is turning out to be more angsty and fluffy than action filled. I wil try to sprinkle with a little action here and there. Sorry to the action lovers.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N**: This chapter is is mostly fluff and angst, with a little bit of action. A little more info on both Spike's and Anisa's lives before they knew each other. I am not great at action scenes so, please be kind and enjoy.

Phrases in _'single quotes and italics'_ are thoughts.

Phrases in **_"double quotes and italics"_ **are text messages

**Disclaimer:** Although I love Flashpoint, I sadly own nothing related to hit.

**Knowing Where You Need To Be**

After a restless sleep, Spike rose early and got ready for work. He emerged from the bathroom after his shower with a towel wrapped around his waist and he saw Anisa in the bed looking at him.

"Hey," he said with a little smile. He was trying not to let his insecurity get the better of him after finding her the previous night in the living room looking at her wedding album.

"Hey," Anisa responded with an almost shy smile. "I couldn't sleep so I went into the living room."

"Yeah. I was going to bring you back to bed, but I was afraid I would wake you or maybe hurt you so I just left you out there." Spike knelt down next to the bed and said, "Besides you looked so serene and beautiful I didn't want to disturb you." He gave her a gentle kiss.

"Thanks for the blanket," said Anisa as she opened her eyes from the kiss.

"Your welcome. I wouldn't want you catching cold," he smirked returning to the bathroom to shave. Anisa watched intently as he lathered his face with shaving cream and then meticulously dragged the razor up his throat and over his chin. She wasn't sure that there was anything sexier that watching a man shave.

He noticed her looking at him and sucking slightly on her lower lip. He stroked the razor along his jawline and glanced at her reflection in the mirror. The corner of her mouth twitched up. He brought the razor down over his lip and then repeated the action two more times. She got out of bed and went to stand in the doorway with her arms crossed across her chest, watching him intently. He turned and looked at her quizzically.

"What?" he questioned.

"Nothing," she answered. "Carry on."

Spike turned back to the mirror and finished shaving, still confused. He wiped the remnants of the shave cream from his face and wiped down the sink putting away his razor. When he turned to leave the bathroom, Anisa was still standing in the doorway.

"Come here and let me check to make sure you didn't miss a spot," suggested Anisa. Spike took a step closer to her with a bemused grin on his face. Anisa raised herself onto her tiptoes and gently touched his cheek with her finger. She slowly traced the line of his jaw with her finger and trailed kisses along the same path. The touch was soft and sultry. Spike closed his eyes and leaned into the contact. As her kisses continued their pilgrimage down her his neck. Spike tilted his head back giving her better access and he couldn't suppress the slight moan that escaped his lips as he succumbed to the pleasure he was feeling. She continued up his neck until she reached his chin. He placed his hand on the back of her head holding it in place and then captured her lips with his. It was a kissed filled with yearning and sensuality.

When the kiss finally ended Spike asked in a husky voice, "Well, how did I do?"

Anisa sucked his upper lip gently into her mouth briefly and then releasing it said slowly, "Very nice, but I think I should inspect your handiwork every morning."

"Oh, Ms. McConnell, I'd be willing to give that a try under one condition," Spike replied with a smirk.

"What is that Mr. Scarlatti?"

Spike reached down to the side of her leg and gently stroked the to top of her thigh, "I get to inspect your shaving job..."

"Mmmmm..." she responded with a smile enjoying the sensation, "deal." Their lips found each other again for a brief but meaningful kiss.

"I gotta go to work," said Spike pulling himself reluctantly from her embrace.

"I know," she said with a smile and stepped aside allowing him access to the bedroom. "I'll go make coffee," she said and disappeared heading toward the kitchen.

As they sipped their coffee, Spike asked, "What are your plans for the day?"

"I thought I would make my reservations for Virginia and then swing by the office and talk to Sarge and Ryan. Maybe I can get the force to pay for part of the trip...who knows."

Rinsing his cup and putting in the dishwasher, he said, "Sounds good. Stay in touch and I'll see you tonight, OK?"

"Yep," she said following him to the door. Kissing him she said, "Keep the peace, babe."

"Copy that," he said smiling and giving her one more kiss on the nose.

As soon as the door closed, Anisa felt the quiet of her apartment, she felt the stillness of being alone. She wandered back into the living room and saw the photo album on the table. She remembered looking at it last night, but didn't remember putting it on the table. Mike must have done that when she was asleep. _'Oh God, Mike saw this. He saw me looking at this... I hope he doesn't get the wrong idea,'_ she thought. She sighed and rubbed her eyes. She was contemplating what she should do next, _'should I call Mike to explain or should I text him or just wait until he got home...' _

Her phone rang pulling her back to reality. It was her daily phone call from her partner, Ryan. He called her everyday on his way into work.

"Hey, Ryan,"

"Mornin' Red. How's it going?

"Fine...good. How are you today?" she answered trying to sound upbeat despite the anxiety she was feeling about Mike, the photo album and the dream she had had about Sean.

Ryan knew her too well to be fooled by her tone. "If you say so. You still coming by today?"

"Yep, this afternoon is that good?"

"I'll be there... and then we can get to the bottom of what is really bothering you," said Ryan matter-of-factly.

"Rrrg. I hate you." She really just hated the fact that he knew her so well. "See you this afternoon."

* * *

Spike was glad he had gotten to work early so he was able to get in a brief work out before the hot call came in. There was a stand off at a convenience store where a couple of junkies had attempted an armed robbery at the store, but the owner pulled out his own gun. Spike tapped into the cameras in the store which had views of the front cash register and the back doors.

"Guys, we have three people visible in the store. Two have guns pointed at each other and one just looks panicked. We have two entrances, the main one in the front and one in the back through the storage room," reported Spike.

Ed crafted a tac plan while Greg started negotiations. Ed and Wordy were at the front door and Sam and Jules were at the back door. Spike sent the video feed to their PDAs and fed them information through the headsets. The demeanor in the store was tense and Greg had not been able to make any headway with the negotiations. Aggressive entry was too dangerous since there were two weapons involved and agitated subjects. Meanwhile, Spike was running facial recognition software on the subjects.

"Boss, I have the name of the guy without the gun. He is Matt Sheldon and has an active file with the police...B&E, drug possession, assault, robbery. Don't see anything with weapons though. Looks nervous in there, maybe he is our way in."

"Good work, Spike. Got a cell number?"

"Patching you through." Spike continued to monitor the camera feeds and saw Sheldon take his phone out of his pocket and look at the caller ID. He stepped away from the other two men and brought the phone to his ear.

"Matt Sheldon? This is Sergeant Greg Parker with the SRU."

"Yeah" answered Sheldon.

"We want to try and help everybody get out of there safely and unharmed. Do you think you can talk your friend into putting down the gun?"

"No, man. He is acting all crazy. It wasn't supposed to go this way. We just wanted some cash. I just want to get out of here. "

"Boss, Sheldon is moving toward the back of the store," reported Spike.

"OK. I understand that. If you can get to the back door without them noticing, that would be great. Some of my team is there waiting for you. If you unlock the door, they can get you to safety and hopefully end this without anyone getting hurt. Do you think you can do that?"

"I think so," answered Sheldon making his way to the back of the store.

"Boss, he is at the back door," said Spike.

"Copy that. Spike I want you to join Sam and Jules at the back door and take him into custody."

"Yep," said Spike rising from his seat, exiting the truck and running to the back of the store. He approached his teammates just as the door was opening and Sheldon emerged. Sam grabbed him and pulled him out the door handing him off to Spike who cuffed him and walked him away from the building. He handed him off to some uniform officers and then returned to the truck.

"Boss, Jules and I are going in," reported Sam.

"Copy that. Go stealth until we know what is going on in there."

"Boss, I am going around back. Will be in there in 60 seconds. Spike you join Wordy out front here in case someone decides to make a quick exit out the front door," instructed Ed as he headed to the back entrance to back-up Sam and Jules.

Once Ed was in the building, it took about a minute before the team had both men in custody and were exiting the building. The shop owner would probably be released since he was protecting himself, but that was up to the lawyers and judges to work out. Team One's job was to end the situation and take the subjects into custody.

The debrief was short and uneventful and Greg thanked the team for a job well done. Their shift was nearly over so the team headed toward the locker room. As Spike stood to leave the briefing room, Greg threw his arm over the younger man's shoulder.

"Good job today, Spike. Sheldon was our ticket in," said Greg with a pat on the back.

"Thanks, Boss," replied Spike with a shy sort of smile. He was uncomfortable being singled out and just felt he was doing his job. As the two men were about to exit the room, Dr. Amanda Luria approached them.

"Hello, gentlemen," she greeted.

"Hi, Dr. Luria," responded Spike trying to inch out of the room quickly. It's not that he didn't like Dr. Luria, it was just that she made him a little nervous and he didn't like talking about his feelings with people.

"How are you doing, Spike?"

"Good, I'm good. You?" answered Spike trying desperately to negotiate his way around Greg and out the door.

"I'm well. Thanks. Do you have a minute?" she asked.

Ugh... he was trapped. "Ummm... sure." He looked at Greg hoping that the boss would stay, but no such luck. Greg said goodbye closing the door as Dr. Luria took a seat at the table indicating Spike should do the same. Spike smiled and took a seat across from the doctor fidgeting a little in the seat.

"What's up Doc?" said Spike smiling to himself.

Dr. Luria smiled at the upbeat Italian. "I was just checking in with you. I know you have had a tough month or so. Is there anything you want to talk about?"

Spike was getting a bit suspicious. He wondered if he had done something that had made the boss call Luria.

"Um... no I'm good," he responded hoping that would be the end of the conversation. Dr. Luria didn't budge, but just sat there smiling and looking at him. "Why? Have I done something to make you think I am not OK?" he asked nervously.

"No, not that I am aware of," answered Dr. Luria. "I know that you were involved in a kidnapping and that your girlfriend was seriously injured in the incident. Then she was held at gunpoint and you had to take the fatal shot to save her life. Spike, that is a lot for anyone. You have been through a great deal already this year, now with all that. It's just a lot to manage."

Spike sat back in his chair trying to think of something to say to assure her that he was doing fine. "Yeah, I suppose it is, but that is part of the job, right?"

"True. But it seems that the job part has spilled into your personal life recently. How is Detective McConnell?"

"She's doing well. She is recovering. Hates that she has to stay home and do nothing while she heals. It's not her style." The smile that crossed his face when he spoke about her did not go unnoticed by Dr. Luria.

"So have these incidents affected your relationship?"

He took a deep breath contemplating how to answer the question. "Honestly, if it wasn't for what happened, I am not sure we would be together right now. So, in answer to your question, yes." He hated to think that they might not be together if it weren't for what Ward had done.

"Really? How so?" Dr. Luria did not know all of the details of their relationship and Spike wasn't ready to share all of it here.

"Not going into all of the gory details, but when Ward started this, we had called it quits. This incident made us confront our feelings for each other and we acted upon them." Spike hoped that this was enough information to answer her questions.

"I see. I know that you were forced to take the fatal shot and kill Ward," she persisted. Spike nodded. "As I understand it, this was your first lethal." Again Spike nodded in agreement. She continued, "This is frequently a difficult thing to handle for any officer. How are you handling it?"

Spike weighed the answer before he said, "I'm doing fine. I am not questioning what I did...he was going to kill another officer then he pointed the gun at me. I have not had any nightmares or flashbacks."

Dr. Luria nodded her head in understanding. Smiling slightly, she said, "That is good to hear, Spike. You are really good at compartmentalizing your feelings and that is a great way to deal with with things, but if you ever want to talk more about things I am here and always just a phone call away. Keep in mind that you can talk to me about personal issues, too." Luria took a moment and then asked, "How is your dad doing?"

Spike inhaled and then let all of the air out of his lungs. "He's the same. Actually, I guess he is getting a little worse daily, but that is to be expected."

"Have you been able to patch things up with him?"

"No, he is still not talking to me," Spike answered quietly. "But that doesn't change anything. I am not leaving my job."

"That must be really hard. I know how close you are to your family."

"Yeah, I guess." Spike looked down at his hands lost in his own thoughts for a moment. "Having Anisa in my life makes it a little easier," he confessed.

"Oh, good. So things are going well with her. I am glad to hear it," said Dr. Luria with sincerity.

Spike smiled and then his thoughts went back last night when he found Anisa on the couch clutching her wedding album. He wasn't sure what to make of it, but he hoped that she wasn't second guessing her feelings for him. Dr. Luria saw the look cross his face.

"What is it Spike?"

He was shaken from his thoughts and quickly responded, "Nothing."

"Are you sure? You looked far away there for a moment."

Spike was reluctant to say anything, but maybe she could say something that might make him feel less insecure.

"Um... Last night, I woke up in the middle of the night and Anisa was gone. I found her in the living room asleep curled up with her wedding album. She had obviously been crying," explained Spike. He wasn't quite sure how to explain how he felt without sounding pathetic. "I don't know … I guess I am wondering if maybe she is having second thoughts about us...about me. God that sounds pathetic."

Dr. Luria knew that Detective McConnell had lost her husband inthe line of duty but did not know any of the details. She saw the worry in Spike's face. "Did she mention it the next morning?"

"No, doc, she just acted … normal."

"And you didn't bring it up?"

"No. She seemed happy and I didn't want to... make her sad...bring back memories."

"Makes sense." That was typical Spike... always putting other people's feelings before his own. "If you don't mind my opinion, it has been my experience that the direct approach is frequently the best. Perhaps you should simply mention that you noticed that she was looking at the pictures and ask her how she feels about it."

Spike didn't say anything. He just looked at her with wide eyes wondering if he should try that, so he gave his head a slight nod. Dr. Luria could tell he was considering her advice and waited a moment before rising.

With a slight smile, she said, "Spike, I don't know Detective McConnell, but from what I have heard, she cares about you. Grief is a long process and everybody handles it differently. Remember that each new event is a 'first' without your loved one...first Christmas, first birthday, first kiss." She took a step toward the door and Spike stood to leave as well.

"Thanks, Doc," said Spike opening the door for her.

Offering Spike a genuine smile, Luria said kindly, "Call me if you want to talk."

Spike nodded and followed her out of the door. She turned left down the hall and Spike headed to the locker room pulling his phone from his pocket. He had noticed it vibrate in his pocket during the debrief but had not had a opportunity to check it until now. As he made his way to his locker, he saw that the message was from Anisa.

**_"I love you"_** was all it said. He exhaled not realizing that he had been holding his breath. Something inside of him felt relieved or comforted by the words.

**_"Love you, too,"_ **he responded and began to change into his street clothes. His teammates had already left.

* * *

Anisa spent the morning researching and booking hotels and flights to and from the Washington, DC area for the conference. She lunched with Mrs. Cleary and then headed to the office to see Sergeant Duncan and Ryan. As she walked into the station building, she was aware of the looks she was receiving from others who were noticing the bruises and cuts on her face. The bruises had turned a lovely shade of greenish-yellow giving her the appearance of jaundice. Although she had tried to cover them with make-up, the trauma she had been through was still obvious on her face. She had never been able to ingratiate herself with the most of the other women on the force so she walked through halls of the station ignoring the looks and whispers.

She reached her floor and headed to Sgt. Duncan's office noting that Ryan was not at his desk. She spent about an hour talking to her sergeant providing details of her recovery and the time frame of her return. Although Duncan was all business, Anisa knew that he was a softy at heart especially when he started to sniffle when he told her to, "keep her ass out trouble because he didn't have time to go to the hospital again this month." Anisa chuckled and promised to stay out of trouble. She also told him about her trip to Washington for the seminar. As they walked to the door, Duncan wrapped her in a bear her a hug. Releasing her, he winked saying, "You fill out a reimbursement form for that seminar and I'll sign it." She hugged him back.

When Ryan returned to his desk, Anisa had made her self at home...she was leaning back in his chair with her feet up on his desk.

"Make yourself comfortable, there, Red," he teased.

"I think I will," she answered with a sly grin.

"Let me grab my stuff and we can head to the diner for a coffee," he said reaching behind her to grab his bag. They headed to the local diner and grabbed a corner booth.

Ryan put his coffee cup down and leveled his eyes at his partner. "So, you gonna tell me what is bugging you?"

It irritated her to no end that he knew precisely when things were bothering her. She tried to deflect, "I didn't get enough sleep last night is all. How are things with you? You still trying to finish all the paperwork that I usually do?" She thought humor would help get him to change the subject. No such luck.

"Stop deflecting. What woke you up last night?"

"OK, I had a dream...about Sean. The day he died and I was looking into his eyes. He was pleading with me. When I opened my eyes, I saw the flag, you know from his casket. I couldn't go back to sleep after that. OK?" She explained hoping that was the end of it.

Ryan peered at her over his coffee cup as he took a sip. Methodically, he put the down his cup never losing eye contact. "It's been a while since you have had one of those dreams, hasn't it?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "Since I couldn't sleep, I got up to get a glass of water and started looking at our wedding album. It brought back so many memories, the laughter, his touch, his kiss..." She drifted away for a minute. "I had forgotten how much I loved him," she confessed biting back the tears. She closed her eyes and when she opened them again they were brimming with tears, "Ryan, how could I do that? How could I forget that?" She put her head in her hands.

"Hey...Hey," he said coming over to her side of the table to wrap her in his arms. "I don't think you forgot anything. I know you and never once was Sean far from your mind." He waited a moment for those words to sink in. "I do think you have begun to accept that you cannot live in mourning forever nor would Sean want you to. You have not closed your heart to Sean, rather you have opened it more to let someone else in." For a tough guy, he could be very insightful at times.

Anisa looked down at her nails and picked at them while she tried to comprehend the meaning of Ryan's words. After some time of uninterrupted silence, Anisa finally looked up and said softly, "Ryan, I am scared. I don't want to forget him."

"Red, I have known you for a long time now, right?" She nodded at his question. "When you and Sean fell in love it was like watching fireworks, it was fun and exciting, sparks everywhere. When you and Spike are together, it is like a sunrise...beautiful and serene like the blending of two souls." Again he was silent, waiting for her reaction. When she finally understood what he meant and realized that he was right she looked into his eyes. "What you have with Spike is the promise of a new beginning."

She nodded slowly, "Maybe you are right...I don't know what I am expecting...his approval or something? Makes no sense. Maybe I should call my shrink and spend a few hours discussing my feelings...blah, blah, blah."

Ryan gave her a squeeze and then reached into the pocket of his jacket. He pulled out a slightly tattered envelope and handed it to her saying, "This is for you. I think this is the right time." She looked at it and saw her name written in Sean's hand.

She looked at him confused, "What do you mean the right time?"

"Years ago, Sean and I exchanged letters for each of us to open in case one of us was killed in the line of duty. That letter was inside my letter with the instruction for me to give it to you when you met someone that you loved and someone that I thought was the real deal. Those are my words, not his. He was more eloquent than me," explained Ryan.

Anisa could feel her heart rate quicken and tried to level her breathing. She felt like she holding a piece of her late husband in her hand. She slowly began to open the letter, but Ryan stopped her. "I think you should be alone when you read this. If you want to talk after that, you call, OK?"

"OK," she said with apprehension in her voice. She placed the letter in her bag and rose to leave giving her partner a hug. "I love you, Ryan Lambert," she muttered shakily as she turned and left the diner.

She started driving wondering what was in the letter. Her imagination was running wild. As she parked her car, she realized that she had involuntarily driven to the cemetery. Anisa walked to the grave site where her husband Sean McConnell was buried. She dropped down to her knees running her hand along the gravestone.

"Hi, Sweetheart. I'm sorry I haven't been by for a while. It has been a crazy month," she spoke to the headstone as if she were talking to her best friend sitting in front of her. She sat down and got comfortable. She told him all about Ward and what had happened. Then she told him about Spike, "He's a pretty great guy. You would like him, he has a great sense of humor, always cracking jokes. Like you, he is always worried about me and taking care of me. It can be a little annoying at times, but his heart is in the right place. He does try to give me my space and independence, although I know it kills him." Anisa got quiet and pulled out the letter. "Ryan gave this to me today. Gotta say, Sweets, you still boggle my mind and take my breath away. It is like you are talking to me from … heaven." she said turning the letter in her hand. She carefully opened the envelop and pulled out the note, gnawing on her lower lip. She inhaled deeply willing herself to be strong as she unfolded the note and saw his handwriting on the page. She began to read.

_Anisa, my beautiful fiery redhead,_

_If you are reading this, that means that I was killed in action, but I am sure that Ryan has already told you about our pact. So, here are a few things I want you to know._

_You are the light in my life. Your laughter makes my spine tingle and the kindness in your soul humbles me. I never understood how you could be happy with me, a big lug of a guy. How you stuck with me through all the things my mother did to break us apart, I couldn't fathom. But for some ungodly reason you did and for that I am eternally grateful. You are a paradox of gentleness and strength. You are twice the soldier as most men, because you had to be, even though you always questioned whether you belonged. Ask any of the guys in our unit who they would want by their sides if they were trapped behind enemy lines and the answer is always you. There is nobody smarter, a better shot, more fierce or loyal. We all loved you, but I was the lucky one who got to love you._

_Since Ryan has given you this, you must have met someone you really care about. I hope he is smarter than me because he couldn't possibly be better looking or more studly (hahaha). But seriously, we both know that one of Ryan's strengths is his judge of character, so if you are reading this, he must know this new guy. I am guessing that there have been other fellas that have not passed muster with Lambert. I picked Ryan to give you this letter because he loves you with his whole being and if he feels this guy is worthy of you, then he must be._

_Baby, I know you and I think that right about now you are doubting your feelings for him or maybe for me. I loved you and you loved me and nothing will ever change those feelings, but that doesn't mean that you don't have more love to give. Babe, your capacity to love others is immense. This guy must be pretty special if Ryan has given this letter to you. So I hope you know that you deserve to love and be loved again. I know that I will always be in your heart, but there is plenty of room for others there too, including a family. You should have kids because you would be a great mother and they will be absolutely beautiful, like you._

_Trust your heart, Anisa. I will be smiling on you._

_Love you forever,_

_Sean (aka Big Lug)_

The tears were streaming down her face. How could it be that her late husband had just held her hand and her heart through one of the toughest moments of her life. She sat there for a few minutes holding the letter and trying to regain her bearings. She knew what to do now. She wiped the tears and headed back to her car.

* * *

A/N: Well... I hope you liked it and it wasn't too mushy...


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N**: This chapter is is mostly fluff. A little more info on both Spike's and Anisa's lives before they knew each other.

**Disclaimer**: Although I love Flashpoint, I sadly own nothing related to hit.

* * *

**Knowing Where You Need To Be**

She couldn't get home fast enough. By time she reached her apartment she had composed herself and done her best to hide the evidence of tears. As she slid the key into the lock, she smelled lemon and garlic making her realize that she was hungry. Opening the door she saw Spike on the couch with a glass of wine on the table next to him. He turned to look at her giving a gentle smile.

"Hey," Anisa said closing the door as she entered the apartment. She approached the couch and noticed the book on Spike's lap. It was her wedding album. Her heart tightened thinking that she may have hurt him inadvertantly with her actions from the previous night.

"Hey there," he responded. He noticed the worry on her face as she saw the photo album in his lap, so he patted the seat next to him indicating that she should sit. As she did, she took his face in her hands and kissed him.

Pulling away, she said, "I love you, Mike."

"I know, babe. Sit with me. Tell me about Sean and your wedding."

"OK," she said feeling a little uncertain. It seemed strange to be telling her boyfriend about her wedding day, but she decided that maybe he needed to hear about it.

Spike was looking at the picture of the wedding party, "Who are those girls?"

"Melanie, Ryan's wife, Sue and Lynne, they were friends of mine," she replied with a smile. "Those guys are Sean's brothers Stephen and Mark."

Then he flipped to the picture of their first dance. "Whose the sourpuss in the back?"

"That would be Sean's mother Margaret."

"Oh yeah. Let me guess, that blonde next to her is Leslie, his ex-girlfriend that his mother invited to the wedding. "

"Yep."

Spike looked more closely at the picture and said, "Wow, she does look like Natalie Braddock. Weird." Spike was looking at the picture when a sweet smile crept across his face.

"What?" she asked wondering what made him smile.

Spike pointed to Sean's face and said, "Look at the way he is looking at you. He adored you."

Tilting her head to the side she looked at the picture for hundredth time, but seeing it differently this time. "Hmm, really? Maybe. That seems strange to say." After a pause, she continued, "Mike, can I tell you something."

Closing the book he said, "Sure."

"Last night I dreamed about Sean, the night he died and he seemed to be pleading me to do something." She looked at his face, then continued, "It shocked me since I hadn't had that dream in a long time. When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was the flag on the shelf. I got up because I couldn't sleep with all these thoughts running through my mind and then I pulled out the album." She took a deep breath before continuing. "Mike, I don't know how to explain this, but I think I was feeling guilty for loving you. When I saw these pictures, I was flooded with the feelings that I had for Sean, how much I loved him. But I couldn't stop my feelings for you from surfacing. I was trying to convince myself it was 'OK' to love you. But I was feeling guilty about no longer loving him. I fell asleep in a state of emotional confusion."

Spike was quiet and then asked gently, "Were able to convince yourself... to love me, I mean?"

"With a little help," she said handing him the note. "Ryan gave it to me today. He knew I was going through a bit of internal turmoil." Spike took the note in one hand and then drew her closer to him with his other arm.

He finished reading the note and looked at her. "You went to the cemetery to talk to him didn't you?" She just nodded. "So do you feel better?"

"I do. I know this sounds weird, but I feel like now I have his blessing, we have have his blessing. Rationally I know that we don't need it. But somehow I feel free, now." She looked down at her hands feeling a little unsure of how that sounded.

Spike reached over and lifted her chin with his index finger. "I know what you mean." He gently brushed his lips to hers. "I wish I had known him, he seems like a remarkable guy. But I think I am better looking," he teased.

She laughed and rolled her eyes which were brimming with tears, "It scares me how similar you are. Let's eat."

* * *

The rest of the week went by uneventfully with Anisa preparing for her trip to the States and Spike working. They had spent every evening together snuggling on the couch talking about their days or watching TV. It was relaxed and comfortable. Although she hated to admit it, Anisa loved having him around and she didn't want him to leave. She wondered what would happen when she was suficiently healed, would he go back to spending most nights at his home? She hoped not although she felt a little guilty keeping him from his family.

Spike was scheduled to work on Saturday until 5:00PM and the day seemed to drag on. He knew that Anisa was spending the day packing and researching the presenters at the conference because she wanted to be well informed. When Spike entered the apartment, he found Anisa at her desk, hair piled up on her head in a messy bun and dressed in baggy sweats and a t-shirt. She was surrounded by paper and books and was tapping away at her computer. She glanced up when she heard the door open and saw Spike walk in.

With a look of utter surprise on her face, she said, "Mike, what are you doing here?" Spike was confused.

"I thought we would spend the evening together since it was your last night in Toronto before you head to the US for the conference...but I can leave if you want," Spike answered sheepishly.

"Yeah, but you were supposed to be at work," she responded.

"I was. My shift is over."

Anisa looked at her watch. "Holy crap! It's 6:30?" she gasped in shock. "Mike, I'm sorry...I completely lost track of time." She was clearly flustered looking around at the papers and books strewn across the table.

Knowing it was safe, Spike closed the distance with a slight grin on his face. When he reached her he wrapped her in his arms and kissing the top of her head said, "Phew, that's a relief. For a minute I thought you didn't want to see me."

Anisa slid her arms around his waist and up his back allowing herself to be pulled against his chest. She inhaled deepl,y savoring his scent. Tilting her head up to look at him, she gazed into the chocolate pools that were starting to feel like home.

"I always want to see you," she whispered. A smile crept across his face as he bent down to kiss her. The kiss was gentle and meaningful.

Slowly pulling away he said, "Are you hungry?...'Cause I'm starved! "

"Dammit! I was going to make a really nice dinner and now it's nearly 7:00 and I have done nothing," she pouted. "Mike, I am really sorry. I bought a roast and now..." Anisa had planned a beautiful romantic dinner to let him know how much she was going to miss him, but because she had gotten so engrossed in her research it wasn't going to turn out the way she had hoped.

"Let's go out," he interrupted. "Come on we will go out for pizza or something."

"Yeah, OK. I guess that would be good," she conceded. "Give me a second to get dressed," she said as she entered the bedroom.

"Need some help?" he inquired smirking.

"Very funny...I'll just be two minutes."

* * *

"Where are we going?" asked Anisa as they drove away from her apartment.

"We are going to Sal's. The best pizza in town. I used hang out there when I was in high school," he answered driving in the direction of his neighborhood. He glanced over and saw her smiling as she looked out the window.

"What are you smiling at?"

Anisa turned to look at him and said, "I was just thinking that it will be nice to visit one of your old stomping grounds. Maybe it'll give me some insight into the Scarlatti mind." He chuckled.

They walked into the pizza shop and were immediately assaulted by the aroma of tomatoes, garlic and dough. It was crowded since it was a Saturday night. Anisa and Spike had not walked more than two steps into the shop when a woman in her 60's came out from around the cashier counter and said loudly in heavy Italian accent, "Mikey! Is it you?" She went up to him and gently took his face in her hands and kissed both of his cheeks.

"Hi, Mrs. Santora. It's so nice to see you."

"Mikey, it has been so long. How have you been?" she asked taking a step back to look at him.

"I'm good. How are you doing?"

"We are busy," she said with a smile nodding to the packed restaurant.

"I can see that," he said with a smile taking inthe crowd. "do you think we could get a table?" Spike asked.

Mrs. Santora ignored the line that was beginning to form at the cashier counter and said, "Of course, I will show you." But before she took a step to show them a table, she turned her appraising gaze to Anisa. Anisa shifted a little nervously wishing that she had thought to make herself look a little...prettier or something.

"Oh, Mrs. Santora, I'd like you to meet Anisa McConnell. Anisa this is Mrs. Santora, she and Mr. Santora own this place."

Anisa smiled politely and extended her hand, "It's nice to meet you." Mrs. Santora took her hand and shook it still looking at Anisa.

"Come, I will get you a table," and she led them to a table in the corner with a sign that said RESERVED on it. Anisa sat down and watched as Mrs. Santora spoke softly to Spike in Italian glancing back at her. As she left the table she gave Anisa a quick smile and nod.

Anisa crossed her arms in front of her, cocked her head to the side and asked, "What did she say to you just then in Italian?"

"Nothing, just catching up. Don't worry about it," he tried to deflect.

"I think I have a right to know because she was obviously talking about me," Anisa said in a slightly more demanding tone. "And, don't even try to lie to me, Scarlatti...you are not very good at it."

Spike smiled knowing that it was pointless to try to make something up. "She said that you were pretty."

Anisa raised her eyebrow and said, "What else! I know she said more."

Spike shook his head in defeat, "OK, she said you were pretty, but too quiet and...

"Too quiet?" she interjected indignantly. "I don't think anybody has ever said that about me before." She narrowed her eyes at him again, "Anything else?"

"She said you were too skinny. OK? Are you happy now?"

Anisa looked annoyed and said, "I'm not 'happy' about it, but I am satisfied. Thank you." Spike just continued to shake his head. "I think I am going to have to learn to speak Italian," she said causing Spike to chuckle.

A cute and very perky brunette with blue eyes approached the table. She looked directly at Spike and said, "Hi, I'm Jenny. I'll be your waitress, can I take your order." She never took he eyes off him and was very clearly gushing over him. Anisa inhaled and tried hide the eye-roll that involuntarily took over her face.

Spike, oblivious to her flirtations, said, "I'll have a beer. What about you?" directing the question to Anisa.

"Me too," she responded.

"OK, I'll be right back," said Jenny never once looking at Anisa.

Spike looked across the table and saw the look of amusement on Anisa's face. "What?"

"Really?" Anisa asked in disbelief.

Spike was genuinely confused, "Really...what?"

"Oh my gosh, you are so funny. That girl was flirting with you so blatantly that I am surprised that her head didn't pop off," Anisa explained with a smile.

"Huh? Are you kidding?"

Anisa was incredulous. "Really? You had no idea that she was flirting with you." Spike shook his head, still not believing her. He glanced in the direction of their waitress and saw her chatting with the other waitresses and giggling. She almost looked like she was blushing.

Spike didn't know what to do or say, so he said the first thing that came to his mind, "I'm sorry." He looked genuinely sorry.

Anisa smiled at him, "Babe, you don't have to be sorry. You didn't do anything wrong. She was flirting with you." Then very matter-of-factly, she said, "But if she tries anything with you, I will take her out." Anisa tried to keep a straight face, but it didn't last long. She started to giggle and Spike joined in.

They ordered a pizza and salads and shared information about their days. When Anisa told him about some of the cases that the BAU had worked to solve, Spike noticed her face light up. He just watched happily as she told him about one case after another. It somehow made him feel good that she was so enraptured with something. By the time they had finished their pizza the crowd at the restaurant had thinned significantly.

"Mike is that you?" came a voice from behind them.

Spike turned to look in the direction from which the voice came. He saw three rather large men approaching the table. Anisa watched Spike's face as his look of curiosity changed to recognition and a smile spread across his face. He stood as the men approached the table. One by one he shook hands with each of them and then embraced them in a one-armed man hug. Spike realized that he hadn't introduced Anisa yet.

"Anisa, these are friends of mine from high school, Nick, Tony and Doug. Guys, this is Anisa McConnell."

"Nice to meet you," Anisa replied. "Why don't you pull up some chairs and join us?" The newcomers smiled, grabbed some chairs and sat down.

Nick threw his arm around Spike's chair and said, "So I hear you made SRU... good job, buddy!" Spike smiled and nodded.

Tony joined in, "That's awesome. Pretty dangerous, though." He then looked at Anisa, "You must worry about him."

Anisa nodded her head slightly and responded, "Yeah, sometimes." She paused a moment, "But he is good at his job and he's pretty smart," she added with a wink.

"That he is," agreed Nick. He began telling stories about how Spike used to help them with their school work and they would hang around him to prevent him from being picked on. Anisa gathered that the three of them had been members of the hockey team with Nick being the team captain.

"Yeah, without Mike's help, I would probably never have gotten that scholarship to play hockey in college," Nick explained.

Tony jumped in and joked, "Yeah and Doug would still be in high school." The other two men laughed heartily with Spike bowing his head with a smirk. Doug, who was sitting next to Anisa, seemed to stiffen at that comment.

"Without us, though, Mike might not have made it out of high school in one piece. He was a total nerd," Doug said with a little edge in his voice. Anisa glanced at the man next to her and wondered if he was really a friend of Mike's. Deciding that the conversation may take a negative turn, Anisa decided to redirect it.

"Nick, you played hockey in college?" she asked.

He smiled as if remembering the good old days. "Yeah, hoped to go pro, too. That dream was dashed with a concussion that had me out cold for 10 minutes. I had sustained 3 other concussions in the previous 2 months. The docs said I had to make a decision quit hockey or risk permanent brain damage. I decided not to chance it so I quit the game. At least I escaped with most of my teeth," he joked.

"Wow, that is a shame. What are you doing now?" asked Anisa with interest.

"The good news is that I am not as dumb as I thought I was..."

Spike interrupted, "Nick, you are definitely not dumb."

"...as I was saying, I managed to finish college and then get a masters. Now I am working for a company developing alternative fuel sources and raising my family." His face brightened into a grin when he mentioned his family.

Spike then interjected, "These other clowns played in college, too. Right guys?"

Tony, the smallest of the group, decided to share his story, "Turns out that I am not as dumb as I look either. Once I got to college, my desire to play waned and was replaced with an interest in science." Spike got a big smile on his face as Tony continued, "Got my degree, went to Med school, now I am busy paying off student loans as I try to make a living as an orthopedic surgeon. So go break a leg... really I mean it." They all chuckled.

"Man, Tony, that is impressive. Your parents must be proud of you," said Spike a little awestruck and also a little saddened by his own father's feelings toward his career choice. Not wanting to leave Doug out of the conversation, Spike asked, "What about you Doug, what are you doing these days?"

"Turns out the NHL was not as interested in me as I was in them, so now I sell office products and coach kids' hockey," he sounded a little bitter.

"That sounds like fun," said Anisa, trying to alleviate some of the awkwardness of the moment.

Doug nodded in agreement, "Yep, it can be. So where did you and Mike meet?" He directed the question at Anisa placing his arm on the back of her chair. The action made her a little uncomfortable, but she pushed the feeling to the back of her mind.

"Um...," not sure what to say, she said, "at work, I guess," Anisa answered hoping to not have to go into too much detail. Sometimes guys got 'weird' when they found out she was a cop.

He laughed a little and said, "What, are you having a blonde moment? You can't remember how you met him?" He thought his joke was very funny and continued to laugh. The rest of the table sat quietly, but Spike watched Anisa's reaction intently. He would be happy to step in at her defense, but he was pretty sure she could handle herself with Doug, so he waited for her to respond.

Anisa had been around plenty of chauvinists in her career so this was not much of a challenge and she decided to ignore the jibe completely. "Haha, not exactly. It's is a bit complicated, but the first time we met was on a call for the SRU. If you'll excuse me, I need to use the rest room. Be back in a sec."

Spike was a little surprised that she didn't come right out and tell him she was a cop, but he didn't say anything. She was barely out of earshot when Spike's friends started to pummel him with questions.

Doug was the first to chime in, "Mike, she is a hottie. How did _you_ manage that?"

Nick smacks Doug in the arm, "Don't be such a jackass."

"What? You were both thinking it, too, so don't act all high and mighty," Doug answered finishing his beer.

"Actually, I was thinking that she seems really nice and that it was about time a cute girl saw what a great guy Mike is," retorted Tony.

Nick added, "Well, I heard you dated Gina for a while. She was pretty cute."

Again before Spike could respond to that, Tony said, "Maybe, but she was crazy on a stick. In the end, she wasn't very nice to you either."

Finally, Spike was able to get a word in edgewise, "Yeah, I did date Gina briefly. And yes, Anisa is very nice, and I concur, nice looking. Trust me fellas, I am as surprised as you are, but I am not questioning it," he joked.

Doug piped up, "So I hear she is back in town." He followed the statement with a wink at Spike.

"Who is in back in town," asked Anisa sitting down.

"Mike's old girlfriend, Gina," said Doug paying close attention to her reaction, obviously trying to stir up trouble.

Anisa smiled at Spike. "I haven't heard about this one," she teased.

Nick came to the rescue, "Nothing to to tell. It didn't last very long." he then shot a look at Doug for him to shut up about it. Doug pouted that his fun was over.

Doug once again turn his attention on Anisa and asked, "So how'd you get those scars on your face? Did Mike not like your cooking one night?" He was joking but in very poor taste and Anisa had had enough.

In a stern, very controlled voice she responded flatly, "No Mike didn't touch me, but another police officer tried to kill me and these are some of the scars he left on me." There was a look of shock on all three of their faces. "He's dead now," she added matter-of-factly. She paused a moment and then pointedly asked Doug, "Anything else you want to ask me?"

"Uh ...no," he sputtered.

Nick was the first to say something. "Anisa, I am so sorry. We had no idea. And Doug can be a jackass." Doug looked wounded by the comment but didn't say anything.

Anisa's features softened as she said, "No worries." Realizing that her outburst had soured the mood and may have had a negative impact on Spike's relationship with his friends, she looked at Spike to gauge his reaction. He was leaning back in his chair with his elbows on the arms of the chair. His fingers were steepled in front of his face so it was hard to see his expression. She thought she saw a smile in his eyes.

In an attempt to salvage the evening, Tony said, "Hey, Mike, remembered Sammy? His band is playing at Carlo's on Friday, you guys should come. You can meet my better half, Kendra." He was smiling with sincerity.

Nick agreed, "Yeah, it should be fun. Steph and I are planning to go, too." The mood was beginning to lighten again.. Spike dropped his hands from his face and Anisa saw a trace of smile across his face. Anisa exhaled slowly.

"Maybe. Could be fun?" said Spike looking at Anisa for her input.

"I'm in," she answered enthusiastically. Doug just sat back and didn't say anything, his expression unreadable.

"Hey, 'Nis, we better head out, you still have some packing to do," Spike reminded her.

Anisa stood and answered, "Yeah, you're right." They said their good-byes and headed toward the door. Spike slid his hand into hers and walked next to her as the walked out the door and to his car. They were both quiet. Spike walked her to the passenger door and opened it for her releasing her hand.

She turned to face him and looking into his eyes said, "Mike, I'm sor..." but before she could finish he placed his hands on either side of her face bringing his lips down on hers. Anisa slid her arm around his waist drawing him close enjoying the safety of his arms. As they separated, she looked into his eyes and then, glancing down to his face, saw his dimples start to appear as a smile grew on his face.

"Nice to see Sparky is alive and well," he said with a grin then kissed her nose. "Let's go home."

She nodded and got into the car. On the ride home Anisa apologized again for ruining the evening.

"Mike, I feel bad about ruining the mood. You were having such a great time before I went all 'crazy bitch' on Doug's ass." Spike snickered.

"I think he deserved worse than he got. He hasn't changed much from high school. Nick and Tony were actually really nice guys once you got to know them. They were the cool kids so people were intimidated by them so they got rep for being snobby or too cool, but it wasn't really true. Doug was a good hockey player, but was more of a wannabe in that group. Nick and Tony we friends with him because he was on the team and he had a hard time making friends, if you can imagine that," he added snidely. "Nick and Tony came to my graduation from the academy, it really meant a lot to me. I guess they were probably my best friends in high school. I'm really glad that their lives have turned out so well."

"So who's Gina?" Anisa asked curiously.

Spike blanched. He didn't want to talk about his ex-girlfriend with Anisa. Truth is that this woman broke his heart. She had been everything he could have asked for. She was beautiful, smart and charming...Italian. His father had loved her. She was his first love. She had told him that she loved him for his brains, but that only lasted until somebody better came along. She had cheated on him with some good looking stock broker type. It had taken him years to get over her and more years after that until he would let someone else into his heart. As a matter of fact, Anisa was the first girl since Gina that he had been able to give "himself" to.

"Um. Well she is just someone I used to date," he answered trying to sound nonchalant. "No, big thing."

"OK, if you say so, Mike," she knew he was holding back but didn't want to push too hard. He would tell her when he was ready. "You know, I already know that you have dated other people before me. It doesn't change how I feel about you. I promise."

Spike glanced at her and smiled, "Nothing to tell. We dated we broke up. The end." He wanted to protect her because the feelings he used to have for Gina were gone and were nothing compared to his feelings towards Anisa.

"Ok," she said with a smile knowing that there was more to the story. She also suspected the reason he didn't want to talk about it had something to do with the way he felt about her.

Anisa gently placed her hand on his leg and smiled at him.

"What?" he questioned when he saw her smiling at him.

"Nothing new. Just considering how lucky I am."

* * *

A/N: I hope you liked the background story for Spike. Stay tuned for a little action in the next chapter and some more relationship angst. Be patient for my next post, I will be traveling and am not sure how much internet accessibility I will have. Thanks for reading.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: ** This chapter is is mostly fluff with a little bit of action. A little more info on both Spike's and Anisa's lives before they knew each other.

Spoilers for I'd do Anything. That episode takes place on a Saturday night. Here it will happen on a Sunday night so it can fit into my story. Also there is a little embellishment for the purpose of my story line. I ask your indulgence.

Warning: this chapter contains some allusions to intimacy. There is nothing too graphic (gotta keep this PG), but I wanted to warn you in case you are bothered by that.

"_Phrases in double quotes and italics"_ are directly from an episode.

_'Phrases in single quotes and italics_' are thoughts

_**'Phrases in single quotes, italics and in bold**_' are text messages.

Hope you can keep all that straight.

**Disclaimer: **Although I love Flashpoint, I sadly own nothing related to hit.

Sorry for the unusually long A/N - hope you enjoy

* * *

**Knowing Where You Need To Be**

**Chapter 5**

The sun was peeking in through the shades as Spike rolled over. He soon realized that Anisa was not in the bed, but he could smell coffee brewing in the kitchen. Stretching, he rolled out of bed and padded into kitchen where he was greeted with a warm smile.

"Good morning, Sparky," he teased wrapping his arms around her waist.

Anisa rolled her eyes at him. "Don't call me that unless you want me to go all CB on your ass," she threatened playfully.

"Hmm ...that might be fun," said Spike playfully nuzzling her neck. Anisa giggled and wriggled free.

"Breakfast is ready. Have a seat."

"You going home tonight for the Scarlatti Sunday dinner?" Anisa asked knowing that Sunday dinners in his home were family time.

"Yeah," he sighed slowly turning the coffee mug in his hand. She hated to see the torment on his face. Reaching across the table, she placed her hand over his.

"It'll be good to see your family since you have been babysitting me all week. I am sure you parents are missing you ...even your dad," offered Anisa hoping to ease the pain etched on his face. He tilted his head to the side and shrugged not convinced that her words were true.

"Hey, you know you have a key to this place. If gets to be too much, you can always come here...even if I'm not here. You are always welcome. Feel free to bring some more stuff over if you want." Anisa felt a little strange saying these words because she had never really wanted anyone in her apartment for more than a night since Sean died. But having Spike there felt different...more like home.

"We'll see," said Spike attempting to sound more upbeat than he was feeling.

"Mike, you know he loves you. Otherwise he wouldn't worry about you," Anisa said trying to reassure him of his father's true feelings.

"Maybe he does, but not the way he used to," Spike said getting up from the table and carrying the breakfast dishes into the kitchen and starting to clean up.

It broke Anisa's heart to see him in pain. She couldn't imagine how it would feel to have a parent that wouldn't speak to or even acknowledge you. She walked into the kitchen and wrapped arms around his waist and rested her cheek on his shoulder.

He turned to face her and putting his arms around her said, "Babe, it's OK. I'm OK. I'm kinda used to it by now... it's been 2 years." As she looked up into his face, Spike gently put his lips on hers. As the kiss deepened, they drew each other closer feeling the electricity flow between them in what could be described as desperation or need. Spike let his had drift down her back until it reached the hem of her shirt. He slid his hand under her shirt slowly moving it up her back until it came in contact with bare skin. As his hand meandered up her back, she leaned closer into him letting a small moan escape her mouth. The kiss deepened as their desire rose to the surface. Anisa slid her hands up Spikes chest and and around his neck causing a slight pain in her ribs. Spike felt the tiniest flinch as she moved her hands up to his neck. Knowing that she was still in pain he pulled away and said breathlessly, "'Nis, we gotta stop. Your are still in pain and don't try to deny it."

Anisa slowly dropped her arms to her side and stepped away from him. Steadying her breath, she said, "I'm going to take a shower." Turning from him, she stomped off. Spike turned back to face the sink and leaned against the counter trying desperately to regain his own control.

The drive to the airport was quiet, both Anisa and Spike lost in their own thoughts about what the next few days would be like being so far away from one another. Spike reached over and took her hand in his.

"You OK?"

Giving him a gentle smile she responded, "Yeah."

Thinking that she may be second guessing the trip, he said reassuringly, "This a great opportunity, Babe."

"I know. It's just that... now that the time has come, I realize how much I am going to miss you. I have become rather attached to you over the last couple of weeks," she said with a smile.

Grinning back at her, Spike gave her hand a squeeze. He pulled up to the drop-off location at the airport. Anisa placed her hand on the door handle, but was stopped by Spike.

"Hey, hang on a second, I have something for you." He reached into his jacket pocket, pulled out a small pouch and handed it to her. Anisa looked confused as she took the pouch and slowly opened it. Carefully pulling out a medal she looked at Spike quizzically.

"It's a St. Christopher medal, the patron saint of travelers," he explained with a grin. "My mother gave it to me the first time I traveled out of Toronto."

"Mike, this is yours, I can't take it. Your mom gave it to you," she said handing it back to him.

"Anisa, I'm not traveling. Besides, my mom would want you to have it. She believes it keeps you safe." Anisa looked at him, raising one of her eyebrows. "Yeah, I know I am not very religious, but I figure, I don't want to take any chances." He reached over and kissed her. "I want you coming back to me and I will do whatever it takes." He gave her a little smile revealing his dimples.

Anisa reached up and touched his cheek, kissing him sweetly. "I love you," she said placing the medal around her neck. She kissed it and tucked it insider her shirt. They got out of the car and Spike unloaded her bags handing her the laptop bag.

"OK, you got everything?" he asked trying to hide his nervousness. She nodded. "Now promise me that you will ask someone to help you put your suitcase in the overhead compartment."

"I promise," she said holding up her right hand. Spike took her into his arms and kissed her.

"I am going to miss you," whispered Spike when they separated. "Please take care of yourself and stay in touch."

"I will, I promise. I'll text you when I land. Have fun with you family tonight, OK?" She said making Spike sigh and close his eyes to mask the strain in his face. "I am going to miss you, too, honey," she added.

* * *

Spike tried to the enjoy the dinner with his family. His sister, Maria and her family had joined them. It was lighthearted as it usually was when the grand kids were around. Dominic Scarlatti smiled as his grand children giggled throughout the dinner telling stories about their week.

"So, Joey, you have a big day this week don't you?" asked Michelina Scarlatti, Spike's mom, to the young boy.

"Yeah, Nonna,*" answered the boy. "It's my birthday, I'm gonna be 7! Will you make me one of your cakes? Please! Please! Please!" he begged as he wrapped his arms around his grandmother's waist.

Spike smiled at the wholesomeness of the scene and remembered the cakes his mother used to bake for him on his birthday. His sister noticed the smile on her brother's face and gave his hand a squeeze.

"Hey Mikey, we are gonna be celebrating Joey's birthday here next Sunday. You going to be able to join us?" his sister asked.

"Of course, Ria. I wouldn't miss a chance to eat birthday cake."

Mrs. Scarlatti cocked her head to the side and said, "You should bring Anisa... so she can meet the family." Before he could answer, his sister jumped in.

"Yeah, Mikey we are all dying to meet the mystery woman," she said winking. Spike stood up clearing the table and to hide the grin that was growing on his face.

"No mystery," he said trying to deflect a bit. "I will ask her if she can make it." Spike's parents ushered the children into the other room while Spike and Ria cleaned the kitchen.

"So, little bro, tell me about this Anisa girl. I want to know everything about the girl who has so obviously stolen my baby brother's heart."

"Obviously?" questioned Spike.

Ria chuckled, "Yeah...OBVIOUSLY! I didn't say it was a bad thing. You are looking less stressed and are definitely getting more sleep because the circles are gone from your eyes."

"Maybe I got a new mattress and am sleeping better," he retorted handing her a pot to dry.

"I would believe that if my sources didn't inform that you have not been using your own bed very much lately," she persisted.

Spike started to redden and turned to face his sister. "First of all, I don't think I want to know who your source is; Second, I am a grown man and it really isn't any of your business where I am sleeping." The last statement was said with a little more bite than he had intended.

Ria realized that she had inadvertently touched nerve for her little brother. Putting an arm around his shoulder, she said, "Mike, I'm sorry. I was just having a little fun. You are right it is none of my business. Can I say that I am happy that you have found someone to spend time with that isn't made of nuts and bolts?"

Realizing that he may have overreacted, Spike said with a smile, "Haha, I suppose that is true. Sorry about that."

"So are you going to tell me anything about her?"

Knowing that his mother was Ria's source, he said, "I am sure that your 'source' has told you something about her. What else do you want to know?"

"Ma said that she was nice and seemed to care a great deal for you, but she only met her once. She wouldn't even tell me what she looked like."

"That's probably a good thing since Ma didn't meet her when she was looking her best." Spike smiled as he described her to his sister, "she is pretty, she has strawberry blonde hair and freckles, which she hates, dark blue eyes."

"She sounds cute. What is she like?"

"She's strong, smart, funny... but more importantly, she thinks I am funny," Spike said with a chuckle.

"You are funny... looking ...just kidding," Ria was cracking herself up. "So, what does she do?"

Spike sighed and handed her another pan to dry, "She is a police officer. A detective actually."

"Oh," she said quietly know that might be a point of irritation for their father. "Does dad know?" she asked softly.

"I have no idea what he knows. You know he still doesn't talk to me, not a word," his answer laced with sadness. She nodded in understanding. "Can ask you a question and you promise to give me an honest answer?" he continued.

"Sure, Mike."

He turned and leaned against the counter and stared at his fingers as he picked at his nails. "Do you think I am selfish for staying in my job?"

Ria looked at her brother seeing the tortured look that overtook his handsome features. She tilted his chin up a little so he was looking her in the eye. Then speaking in Italian,"Sono così orgoglioso di te.** Mike, what you do is selfless, you risk your life everyday to save others...people you don't even know." She wrapped her arms around her brother and hugged him with all her might.

"Thanks, sis, but if you keep squeezing me like that, you're gonna crack a rib," he joked.

"Sorry. I just don't know how to make you understand that we love you and that we are ALL proud of you...even Pa. Mike, he is just scared. He is scared what will happened to mom when he dies and if something were to happen to you. You were always his pride and joy and he is so afraid that you will be hurt. Fear is an emotion he is not used to and does not know how to handle. Unfortunately, he is taking it out on you. I've tried to talk to him about it and he shuts me down."

Spike said, "Yeah, maybe. I just miss how close we used to be, you know?"

"I know." Ria knew there was nothing she could do about that so she decided to change the subject. "I am glad you have someone who makes you happy, though, and I can't wait to meet her," she offered with a smile.

Spike smiled down at his sister who was a couple inches shorter than he. He embraced her saying, "Thanks, Ri."

Maria's husband Joe walked into the kitchen and saw the siblings in an embrace, "Back off, Mikey...she is my wife and your sister, and you hugging her is kinda creepy."

Ria pulled away from Spike and lightly smacked Joe in the chest saying, "Shut up." Joe was a big guy, about 6 foot 2 inches tall and thick. Over the years, Spike had started to get a strange vibe from him on occasion, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Spike looked at his phone feeling it vibrate in his pocket.

"You ready to go Ria," Joe asked.

"Yeah," she responded. Then smiling at her brother she said, "See you next week, Mike."

"Yep. See you guys. I gotta head to work anyway." The text had been from Greg and had instructed him to report to work.

Spike explained that he had to head to work and said good bye to his parents. During the drive he let his sister's words sink in an he felt comforted that at least she was proud of him. His phone rang so he answered it via bluetooth.

"Scarlatti."

In a false sounding deep voice he heard, "McConnell," and then a giggle.

"Hey you," he said, the smile evident in his voice.

"Hi" she responded. "What ya doing?"

"Headed in to work. Sarge just called and me to report to work. I guess there is something going down. Should be a long night. How was the flight? Are you settled in?"

"Flight was fine, and I just finished my room service dinner of cheeseburger and fries for a mere $25. What a bargain..." she added sarcastically.

"What no guacamole? That is a rip off," he joked. He heard her laugh on the other end of the phone.

"How was dinner with the family?" Anisa asked.

"Good. My sister, Maria, and her family were there which is always great. Next weekend they are celebrating little Joey's 7th birthday and they all want you to come. No pressure, but I would like you to be there."

Anisa, sighed trying to hide her anxiety about meeting his family. "I'd love to."

"Awesome... don't be nervous. They don't bite."

"I'm not nervous," Anisa insisted.

"I can hear the anxiety in your voice."

"Ahh... I hate that you know me so well," she muttered with frustration.

"I hope to know you even better when you get back," he replied wiggling his eyebrows even though she couldn't see him.

"Ha ha... well two can play that game," she joked cheerfully.

"I just pulled into the parking lot," said Spike with a tinge of sadness in his voice.

"Ok, sweetheart. I … miss you," she said truthfully. "I just wanted to hear your voice before I went to sleep."

Spike smiled to himself wishing he were with her. "I love you, 'Nis. Text me in the morning before the conference starts, OK?"

"I will. I love you, too, Mike. Stay safe."

* * *

Spike was seated at the briefing table along with the rest of his team when Detective Merry Danner entered the briefing room. She explained that her team had been investigating credit card skimming operation and that they had just gotten word that a huge deal was going down that night. As he listened to her, Spike's mind wandered a bit.

He started thinking about what it would have been like if this briefing were happening a couple of years ago. He and Lou would be joking about how Detective Danner was not bad looking and trying to guess how old she was. Then they would be joking about whose turn it was to hit on her even though they knew it would be fruitless. They used to banter back and forth like that whenever they met an attractive woman. A melancholy smile grew on his face. He missed Lou, but not the 'hitting on girls' part. He was jarred back to the present when he heard Ed's booming voice barking out a tac plan. He and Sam got to dress in street clothes and be the team's eyes and ears in the club. _'This could be fun'_ he thought.

Everything was going as planned. Sam and Spike were positioned at the bar watching the door to the VIP room. The confidential informant had locked the door as planned. Then a guy comes out nowhere and talks to her. Now they were not sure if the door is locked. It was decide that Team One would breach the room as planned. It turned out that the door was not locked and the suspect escaped into the club and then disappeared into the crowd.

They managed to get the computer and take one of the 'big fish' into custody. Spike went into the VIP room to assist with retrieving information from the laptop. The lawyer had started a scrub of the hard drive before Greg had slammed the laptop closed. Greg asked him if he could retrieved the information. Spike said that he probably could but it would take time.

At this point Danner spoke up and said, _"We can,"_ and held out her hand for the laptop. _"Our investigation, our evidence."_ Greg nodded at Spike to give her the laptop. He did as he was beckoned and handed her the laptop.

Spike got out of his civies and into his uniform then joined his team. After listening to the update on the subjects he realized that he might be able to locate them if he could have access to the computer and with the proper warrants.

"_He's good, right?"_ Danner asked Greg skeptically.

"_The best," _was his simple answer.

Spike and Detective Danner entered the command truck and he started triangulating to find the location of the computer guy. As Spike tapped at the keys and the lines bounced around on the map, Detective Danner stood behind him amazed at his computer savvy. It was all coming together. For the next step, Danner had to enter her password so Spike could access the appropriate data. She looked at him and smiled and waited for him to look away. Realizing what she was waiting for, Spike grinned and turned away. After she had typed her password in, Spike moved back in front of the computer and Danner stepped behind him again. Leaning in closer to follow his progress, Detective Danner placed her hand and his shoulder. Spike felt the heat from her hand and didn't know what to think about it so he just kept typing on the keys and his eyes forward.

They exited the truck and Danner said, _"You were right, he is good."_ A faint smile played across her lips. Spike relayed the information he had gained to the team and they headed to the diner that he had pinpointed.

The evening continued to unfold not according to plan. It was well into the morning hours by the time they had corned the two suspects at small airport for private jets. The good news was that it all ended peacefully with the subjects being taken into custody unharmed. Before the team headed back to the barn, Detective Danner offered her thanks to Team One.

In the truck on the way back to headquarters, Spike checked his phone. He had felt it buzz during the standoff at the airport. He saw 2 texts from Anisa.

_**'Morning, Mike, hope all went well last night.'**_

**_'Going into the seminar. You good?_'**

He could tell that she was worried because he had not answered the first text.

_**'I'm good - sorry. Took longer to wrap up than we thought. Call when you can.'**_

By the time Team One finished debriefing, and he got home, Spike could feel the fatigue taking over. He entered the kitchen and saw his parents eating lunch. His mother got up to make him a plate, but he told her not to bother because he was too tired. His father simply looked at him, and then looked down at his plate. At least he did not get up and leave the room like he usually did... Spike took that as a good sign.

He went up to his room and fell into bed and was about to turn off his phone when it buzzed in this hand.

He answered it, "Hi there."

"Hey," Anisa said smiling.

"Sorry, I couldn't return your first text, but things did not go exactly as planned. I didn't mean to worry you."

"I wasn't worried," she lied.

"If you say so," he said with disbelief.

"OK, maybe a little worried. I hate to admit that, you know."

"Why? I kind of like that worry about me," he said, a smile tracing across his lips.

"I just don't want to be one more burden for you. One more thing you need to take care of or 'worry' about."

"But I like taking care of you," he said, the smile growing as he thought about her.

"That's not what I mean...anyway, let's change the subject. Were you able to get the subjects into custody?"

"Yeah, but it did not go smoothly. I'll give you all of the details when you get home. How is the seminar?"

"Mike, it is fantastic. Really fascinating stuff. I really want to sit down and chat with these guys from the BAU and pick their brains," she said excitedly. Spike smiled at her enthusiasm as he propped his head up against the headboard of his bed.

"Hey, how are your ribs? Did you..."

"Yes, I asked someone to help me lift my suitcase into the overhead bin. My ribs are feeling fine. Will you quit worrying about me?"

"Ha ha – never," Spike said with a chuckle.

"They are reassembling in the conference room, I have to go back in. Get some rest."

"Copy that. Talk to you later."

"OK," said Anisa quietly as she hung up the phone and returned to the auditorium.

Spike hung up and laid his head on his pillow closing his eyes. He slept soundly for several hours that day. Since their shift had run over, Team One was not expected back at work until 8AM on Tuesday morning.

* * *

Driving to work on Tuesday morning, Spike's thoughts wandered back to the conversation he and Anisa had the previous night when she had called back later that day. She had told him about some of the case studies that were presented during Day 1 of the seminar. Spike smiled as he remembered the exuberance in her voice when discussing the cases. Apparently, Anisa had asked a number of questions that had garnered notice from the BAU team. When the seminar we was over and the audience was dispersing, the tall brunette member of the BAU team caught up with Anisa. After introducing herself as Emily Prentiss, she asked Anisa where she was from. Prentiss recognized Anisa's name, saying that she had seen the recommendation and file that her professor had sent to get her into the seminar. Before they could chat further, Prentiss had been pulled away but had promised to catch up with her tomorrow. Spike was thrilled for her.

The day dragged on until mid afternoon when Team One was called to a tall building to prevent a suicide attempt. These calls always made Spike nervous because the life of the subject was largely in the negotiator's hands. It was up to the negotiator to connect with the subject quickly and give them a reason to live. Spike worked diligently in the truck trying to get information on the building and feeding it to his team so they could reach the subject. He was also simultaneously trying to get information on the subject which was harder to come by since they had no idea who he was. Ed, Jules and Wordy were interviewing people around the building to see who might know the subject. Greg and Sam were on their way to the 21st floor hoping that by the time they got there they would have a name with which to address the subject.

"Boss, we got a name," came Jules' voice over the headset. "Randy Jonas, but that is all we know."

Greg replied, "Spike..."

"I'm on it, Boss," he responded knowing that Greg needed information on this guy. As Spike uncovered information about the subject he fed it to Greg. Randy was a 27 year old man who was working for an investment firm on the 21st floor of the building. He was newly engaged and had just bought a house. He had learned that his fiancee had been diagnosed with breast cancer that morning. When he arrived at work and went to tell his boss about the situation, his boss fired him before he had a chance because his boss thought that he had been skimming money off of customers' transactions.

Greg was talking to the subject trying to help him understand that he had a lot to live for and that he was looking at a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Spike was glad that Greg was the one out there talking to Jonas because nobody could connect with a subject better.

"Hey, Boss, I think I found something you could use. I was hunting around and saw what Jonas' boss was looking at, but when I dug down a couple more layers, I found something interesting. Somebody was definitely skimming funds, but it wasn't Randy Jonas. Whoever it was knew what they were doing...they managed to make it look like Jonas was the one doing the skimming."

"Spike, can you determine who the actual skimmer was?"

"Working on it, Boss," Spike answered tapping furiously on the keyboard. Spike could hear that Greg was beginning to make progress with the subject. After what seemed like an hour, but was actually about 2 minutes, Spike's voice was heard over the headsets. "Boss, I got the name of the person responsible for skimming the accounts...Raymond Johnstone. It is no coincidence that their names start with the same letters. That is how he was able to make it look like Randy was skimming the funds."

"Good job, Spike," said Greg and then began speaking to Randy Jonas once again.

Wordy had a thought, "Hey, Spike you got a picture of this guy Johnstone?"

"Yep, sending it to your PDAs."

Meanwhile, Jules was speaking with Jonas' boss, Max Kiplin, who was distraught by the situation. Her PDA beeped and she showed the picture to Kiplin.

"Yeah, that is Ray Johnstone, he works with Randy. He actually works for Randy, why?"

"Do you know where he is? He was the one who was skimming the funds, not Jonas," Jules answered.

"Oh God," muttered Kiplin as the realization of what he had done sunk in. "Last time I saw him was over by the statue in the center of the square," offered Kiplin.

"I'm on it," came Ed's voice as he raced in the direction of the fountain.

"Tell Randy I am sorry. He can have his job back. PLEASE! I made a terrible mistake" begged Kiplin to Jules.

Jules spoke into her headset, "You get that, Boss?"

"Yeah, I'll let him know" was Greg's reply.

"I have Raymond Johnstone in custody," Ed informed his team as he pushed the man through the crowd.

Spike could hear him saying, "I didn't do anything...you have no proof." Spike just smiled to himself.

Once Randy learned that he had his job back and that his reputation would be cleared, Greg was able to convince him to come inside. They all breathed a sigh of relief when Greg and Sam exited the building with Randy Jonas safe and sound.

On the way back to the barn, Greg rode with Spike.

"So, do I want to know how you were able to delve into those financial files and determine that Johnstone was the skimmer?" asked Greg.

"Probably not," answered Spike with a smirk.

"Are we going to be able to make the charges against Johnstone stick?" Greg asked with a combination of concern and chiding in his voice.

"Boss, I'm a by-the-book kind of guy. Besides, I left a breadcrumb trail so that the prosecutors can get the proper warrants and discover all of the information themselves."

Smiling and shaking his head, Greg said, "Of course you did."

By the time they debriefed it was 7:00 and some of the team were going to The Goose for a drink.

"You coming, Spike?" asked Sam.

"Um, sure," he responded pulling out his phone and seeing that Anisa had called. "I'll meet you there. Got a call I have to make." He put the phone to his ear to listen to the voice message. Apparently she was having dinner with the BAU team and would text when she got back to her room. He was a little disappointed but also very happy for her because she had been so enthralled by the BAU team. He also had a message from Detective Danner asking him to come by her office one day this week to provide specific information to their tech people regarding the data recovered on Sunday night. He would call her back tomorrow.

Spike stayed for two beers then headed home. Climbing into bed, he checked his phone but there was no message from Anisa. It was 11:15 and he was exhausted so he laid his head and waited for the text message.

He was awakened by his alarm sounding at 5:45AM. _'Damn I must have been really tired,'_ he thought. He picked up his phone and saw two texts from Anisa.

12:05: _**'Hey, honey. You awake?'**_

12:10:_** 'Sorry so late. Call me on your way to work tomorrow.'**_

Spike showered and headed to work. He called Anisa as soon as he was in his car.

She picked up on the first ring, "Hey, Mike!"

"Morning. Fun night last night?"

"Oh my gosh, it was amazing. I wish you were here so you could meet these guys. I felt like I was amidst royalty." She was talking so fast that Mike didn't even try to get a word in edgewise. "I mean these people invented profiling. Such ground breaking police work. I was in awe."

"So you had just an OK time," he interjected sardonicly.

She giggled, "Was I gushing?"

"A little bit," he said with a chuckle.

"I just couldn't believe they wanted to have dinner with me. I still can't"

"Really? You said that Prentiss read you file, right?"

"Well, yeah, but..."

He interrupted, "Do you think that maybe they might want to meet the first and only woman to be a member of the Special Forces?"

"Huh? They meet all kinds of officers all the time,"

"True. I'm just saying that you shouldn't sell yourself short. You have some pretty amazing accomplishments and credentials under your belt, too."

"I think you are a little biased,"

"I am a lot biased. Did they ask you about your military training?"

"Um.. yeah I think so."

"Ok. I am just saying that maybe they were interested in you a little, too."

"Whatever," she said trying to change the subject. "What time are you off tonight?"

"If all goes according to plan, I should be out the door by 5:30. What time is your flight arriving?"

"7:00."

"Great, I should have plenty of time to get there to pick you up."

"Mmm," she muttered with a smile growing on her face. "Looking forward to it."

"Me too. I'll see you tonight. Love you."

"Love you too. Stay safe, Mike."

"Always do. Bye"

"Bye"

Spike then returned the call from Detective Danner and agreed to meet her at her office at 9:00 after he had cleared it with the Sarge. After returning to the barn around noon, a hot call came through for a tense situation with two hostage takers and a roomful of hostages. As time slipped away while Team One was gathering intel and developing a tactical plan of entry, it looked as though it might go well into the night. By late afternoon Spike knew that he wouldn't be able to make it to the airport to pick Anisa up so he quickly sent her a text.

_**'In a situation. Can't make it to airport. Can you get a cab home? Sorry. C U home.'**_

He knew she was in the air and wouldn't be able to read it until she landed and hoped she wouldn't be upset. He immediately refocused to the hostage situation.

* * *

Anisa's plane landed and taxied to the gate. She pulled her suitcase down from the overhead bin because her ribs didn't hurt and then proceeded to the gate. When she entered the airport her eyes were drawn to the television monitors that were placed throughout the airport. They were reporting a breaking story of an incident with hostages at a local establishment. She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket as messages registered. Pulling it out she saw a message from Ryan and one from Spike. She opened Spike's and reading it knew that Team One was involved in the hostage situation on the television. She said a silent prayer for his safety and that of his team. As she slowly walked toward the airport exit, she texted him response.

_**'NP- C U later. Love you'**_

* * *

After several tense hours, the incident was resolved with one casualty. One of the hostage takers turned his gun on Greg, so Sam took the shot. The other taker immediately dropped his weapon and surrendered. It was 11:00PM by the time Team One was finished with SIU and debriefing. Every muscle in Spike's body ached. He had been a point person with his gun trained on taker number two for 3 hours straight while Greg was negotiating. He was tempted to call Anisa to let her know that he was on his way home, but he didn't want to wake her if she were sleeping. He figured that she had seen the news and knew that he and his team were alright.

Spike slid the key into the lock of her apartment and slowly opened the door. He heard the soft sound of the television coming from the living room and removing his shoes, he quietly followed the sound. When he entered the living room, he saw her lying on her side on the sofa sleeping peacefully. He clicked off the TV and gazed at her inch by inch taking in her restful beauty. Looking at her bare feet, he thought they looked so small. Smiling he wondered if she had to buy her shoes in the children's department. His gaze then moved up her legs to her hips and then the indentation at her waist where the bottom of her shirt had shifted allowing a sliver of skin to appear above the waistband of her pants. He took a deep breath and slowly released it. His eyes continued their pilgrimage along her ribs and he hoped that the pain was gone and that they were healed. He then noticed the swell of her small but proportionate breasts and he inhaled again. His eyes followed the curve of her neck up to her jawline then to her lips. The scars on her face were almost completely healed and her face was framed by her wavy red-blonde hair. She looked almost ….angelic. Unable to hold back any longer, he knelt down beside her. He moved a strand of hair from her face and gently brought his lips to hers. Anisa's eyes fluttered open and in a split second focused on his face.

Smiling and sleepy she said, "Hey you."

"Hey you," he repeated, a broad smile creeping across his face revealing his dimples.

Reaching up to his face, Anisa placed her index finger into one of those deep crevices. "I have missed these," she murmured as she drew his face closer to hers and kissed him deeply.

As the kiss deepened, Spike slid his arms around her pulling her up into a seated position never releasing her lips from his. He was now kneeling between her legs in front of her. Anisa slid her arms around his neck running one of her hands through his hair as she drew his body closer to hers. The kiss was not gentle but hungry and passionate. Her heart was pounding as he moved his lips along her jawline to her neck and then her earlobe. Meanwhile, his hand found the hem of her shirt and slid underneath. Spike could feel her sharp intake of breath has his hand touched the bare skin of her back. He began to kiss along her neck as his thumbs ran along her ribcage reminding him about her fracture ribs.

"How are your ribs?" he uttered breathlessly.

"Fine," she moaned pulling his mouth to hers and wrapping her legs around his waist. Spike slipped his hands under her hips and stood lifting her up. Never breaking the kiss he carried her into the bedroom kicking the door closed behind him.

* * *

*Nonna - grandma

**Sono così orgoglioso di te – I am so proud of you.

* * *

**A/N:** Hope you are still liking it. Would love your input on the story (but no pressure) and if you have ideas or suggestions I would love to hear them...you never know, I may use them. Stay tuned for more fluff and a little action.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: ** This chapter gives a little insight into Spike and Anisa's lives outside of work and some insight into Spike's high school years/

**Warning:** this chapter contains some allusions to intimacy. There is nothing too graphic (gotta keep this PG), but I wanted to warn you in case you are bothered by that.

_'Phrases in single quotes and italics_' are thoughts.

**Disclaimer: **Although I love Flashpoint, I sadly own nothing related to hit.

* * *

**Knowing Where you Need to be**

**Chapter 6**

The first time Spike and Anisa made love that night was fast and passionate...Later they were slow and soulful. When Spike woke the next morning, he realized that he was sprawled out across her. He smiled to himself because he couldn't recall ever sleeping like that...on top of someone else. Then he remembered her ribs and tried to disengage himself as smoothly as possible, however, he soon realized that she was holding him tightly and the more he moved, the tighter her grip became. He looked into her eyes as a giggle spread across her face. In one quick motion he scooped her up and rolled them both onto his back. Putting his hands in her hair he held her head still as he mercilessly captured her lips with his.

Spike looked at the clock knowing he had to get up for work soon. Since Team One hadn't finished their shift until late the previous night, Greg had told them to report at 9:00 AM rather than their normal 7:00AM. Anisa's head was resting peacefully on Spike's chest as she was tucked into the crook of his arm. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt this happy, this loved, this at peace. Aimless stroking her arm he felt his eyes close only to hear the beep from his watch signaling it was 8:00. Sensing it was time for him to get up, Anisa rolled away from him and immediately felt a chill of emptiness as their bodies separated. "Isn't it time for you to head to work?" she questioned.

"Yeah. Although, I would love to take a sick day today and stay here with you," he responded kissing her lips.

"Mmmm, that sounds nice," she responded stroking his face. Knowing that he had to go in, especially after the incident the day before, she said, "but duty calls. I will go make some coffee." She got out of bed and found his t-shirt on the floor. Throwing it on she headed into the kitchen leaving him to shower and get ready for work.

* * *

Spike yawned as he opened his locker pulling out his gear. As usual, he was the first one in, but the others quickly followed.

Sam noticed him rubbing his eyes and said, "Hey, man, you OK?"

"Yeah, I'm good. Just didn't get enough sleep last night."

"Uh huh," Sam muttered with a smirk and a wink, remembering that Spike had told him that Anisa was due back into town that night. Seeing the devilish grin on his friend's face, Spike shook his head and threw a balled up towel at Sam's head.

"Hold your fire!" came Ed's booming voice, a grin spreading across his face. Sam and Spike glanced at each other with a twinkle in their eyes and in a split second they each grabbed an article of clothing from their lockers and hurled it at their team leader. This meant war! By the time Greg and Wordy entered the room it was an all out clothing battle. Wordy just stood back laughing as Greg tried to gain control of the situation.

"Children! Children! Am I going to have to put you in time out or would corporal punishment be more effective for you delinquents?" Greg said in a raised voice, slowly bringing the battle to an end. "Gentlemen, and I use that term loosely, you have 5 minutes to sort you laundry and be in the briefing room," said Greg as he departed the locker room. Team One had a pretty easy day completing paperwork and then patrolling.

Spike was in the passenger seat of the truck with Wordy driving through downtown Toronto when he was overtaken by a big yawn. He stretched his weary muscles not sure if they were tired from the call the previous day or from his late night/early morning activities.

"You OK, Buddy?" asked wordy congenially.

"Yeah, I'm good, why?"

"For one thing you are bizarrely quiet for you and you keep yawning."

Spike made a mental note to hide his yawns more, "Just didn't get enough sleep last night."

"If your are having nightmares, which we all have, you know you can talk to me," offered Wordy.

"Thanks, Wordy, but it wasn't anything like that," Spike chewed on his lip in an effort to hide the smile that began to cross his lips as he recalled the activities from the previous night.

Wordy glanced at his friend and asked, "So how's Anisa?" a wicked grin playing across his face.

Spike could feel his face begin to redden. "Couldn't be better," he answered letting a sly smile turn up a corner of his mouth.

Trying to keep a straight face Wordy said, "Good to know." He couldn't hold back any longer and he let out a hearty laugh at the double entendre within the conversation. Spike just glanced at his friend and chuckled looking out the window. Wordy was like a big brother to Spike. He knew that he could always talk to him without fear of judgment. Although Wordy was a tough SOB, there was a gentle kindness about him that Spike could connect with.

"You know, Spike, Claire is convinced that you two are going to get married. She told me that after you babysat that night," Wordy paused for a second as Spike snickered at the comment. "You could do worse...just saying."

Still smiling, Spike said, "I suppose I could...just saying."

After shift as they were heading out, Greg stopped Spike to inform him that Detective Danner and her boss had requested he meet with them one more time tomorrow morning regarding the evidence from the credit card skimming case. Spike agreed to meet them at 9:00AM

* * *

Spike walked into Anisa's apartment building and saw her neighbor, Mrs. Cleary, laboring with some grocery bags. He quickly helped her with her burden by carrying the bags into her apartment for her.

"Thank you, so much, Mike. I am not sure how how I would have managed if you hadn't shown up," she said gratefully.

"I'm glad I could help," said Spike heading to the door.

"Wait, let me give you something," exclaimed Mrs. Cleary running into the kitchen.

"No need, really. I was going this way anyway."

Mrs. Cleary hustled out of the kitchen with a plateful of homemade chocolate chip cookies. "Here you go. I made these this morning. Some dessert for you and Anisa." They smelled heavenly so Spike took the plate, thanking her as he walked out.

Walking into Anisa's apartment he could smell garlic. Dinner smelled delicious.

"In the kitchen," Anisa announced loud enough that he could hear from the entrance way.

Spike put down his bag and made his way to the kitchen with the plate of cookies behind his back. "I brought you something."

Turning to face him, she asked "Oooh what?" She took a step closer to him with a wicked grin on her face.

He presented the plate of cookies announcing, "Dessert."

Anisa placed her hand on the side of his face and brought it down for a kiss. "Oh, darn. I was hoping to have you for dessert, but cookies will do," she said taking the plate from his hands and turning on her heels. Before she could take a step though, Spike wrapped his arms around her waist drawing her back to him and turning her to face him.

Bringing his lips to within a centimeter of hers, he said, "How about as an appetizer?" Without waiting for an answer he pressed his lips onto hers.

Breathlessly pulling her lips from his she murmured, "Mmm... that is enticing." As if on cue, the buzzer from the oven went off. "But... it seems dinner is ready," she giggled extricating herself from his grasp.

The two had a leisurely dinner exchanging stories about their experiences over the last couple of days. Spike telling her about the credit card bust gone awry and the suicide attempt. She gave him a detailed account of the seminar and all of the presenters.

"The BAU team was really interested in how the SRU combines combat skills and and profiling. I wouldn't be surprised if they made a little trip up here to watch you guys in action."

"Hmmm...that might be interesting," pondered Spike. "So, 'Nis what did you do today?"

"I restocked my kitchen and then finished my paper on the seminar. Tomorrow I will go turn it in and then I was planning on hitting the shooting range. I think I need to start working out again, so I might go for a little run tomorrow." She carried dishes into the kitchen as she talked.

Spike followed her with the remaining dishes. "Are you sure you should be running so soon?" he questioned, the concern evident in his voice.

"I have been cleared to work and I have to start sometime. I promise if I feel even a twinge of pain I will stop." She turn to face him wrapping her arms around his neck and kissed him gently. "I love you," she said with a smile and turned back to the sink.

* * *

Spike rose early the next morning and went to the barn to work out before his meeting with Danner. He entered the RCMP headquarters, showed his identification and then proceeded to Detective Danner's floor. Exiting the elevator he was met by Detective Merry Danner.

"Hi, Spike. Thanks for coming. We are going to the tech room." She led him down the hall past the gawking eyes of some of the females working on the floor. He was dressed in his SRU uniform in case a hot call came in he had to make a hasty exit. He spent the next hour providing specific details and codes to Danner's technical expert so that the evidence could be explained in court. When they had finished up, Danner rose to walk Spike out.

"Spike, thanks again for coming by again. Your help with this case has been invaluable," she said appreciatively as they exited the elevator.

"No problem Detective Danner..." Spike answered.

"... Call me Merry, please," requested Danner.

"OK, Merry. I am happy to help," said Spike with a dimple revealing smile.

Danner looked Spike in the eyes and smiled. "Can I buy you a cup of coffee to thank you?" Spike's phone buzzed at that precise moment. He reflexively looked at it and saw that it was Winnie calling.

"I'm sorry Det..Merry, I can't this is work," he said holding up his phone. "I gotta run." he turned heading toward the door while putting the phone to his ear.

"Raincheck?" asked Danner. Not thinking, Spike gave her the thumbs up signal as he rushed out of the building.

* * *

Anisa started her day with a light run to test her recovering body and all felt good. She jogged through the cemetery like she used to and finished the run at Sean's grave. She spent about 5 minutes talking to him, mostly about Spike.

Later she went to the university and turned in her paper. Anisa spent a couple of hours at the shooting range until she was comfortable that both her short and long range marksmanship was back to where they should be. In the afternoon, Anisa went to the office to check in with Sergeant Duncan and make sure that everything was a go for her coming back to Monday. She exited the elevator on her floor and walked in the direction of her sergeant's office passing the break room on her way. As usual there people in there chatting. Today, there was a group of young women excitedly gabbing about some 'hot' officer from the SRU who had been there earlier meeting with a detective. Although Anisa's interest was piqued when she heard he was SRU, she knew that she had to go see Duncan. It wasn't like she was friends with those women anyway, so it would be awkward to butt into the conversation just to see who they were speaking of.

She met with Duncan who gave her the go-ahead for her to return to work on Monday. On her way out, she stopped by Ryan's desk. He was typing furiously on his computer and didn't hear her sneak up behind him. When she poked him in the side to spook him, he jumped nearly a foot in the air.

"Geeze, Anisa! What the..." he exclaimed. As his breath began to return to normal, he said, "I could have shot you."

"Ahhh you wouldn't have done that. What you working on?"

"I was planning to finish all of the paperwork before you returned to work. But after that stunt, I may not work so hard to complete that goal," he joked.

"I'm sorry," she said giving him a brief hug. "Anything I can do to help?"

He shook his head and the two caught up on cases and life in general.

"Hey, I heard some girls talking in the break room about and SRU officer that was here today. Do you know who was here?" she asked trying to sound nonchalant.

"I'm not sure, I was in a meeting most of the morning. I know that Detective Danner has been working on a big case. Maybe the meeting was with her. Why?"

"No reason, just curious," she answered.

Ryan looked at her dubiously, but simply said, "OK."

"Alright, I'm out of here. I'll see you Monday."

"Take it easy, Red"

* * *

Spike had told Tony and Nick that they would go to see Sammy's band tonight at Carlo's, but he was tired and would be happy to just stay home and have a quiet evening. Spike arrived at Anisa's to Nickelback playing on the stereo, but she was not immediately visible. Once he stepped into the apartment, he could hear her singing along in the bedroom. He couldn't help but smile because he loved to see her happy even if her vocal skills were less than stellar. When he entered the bedroom, he saw clothes strewn on the bed and Anisa holding a shirt up against herself in front of the mirror. He walked up behind her so she could see his reflection.

"That looks nice," he said sliding his arms around her waist and bending down to kiss her neck. She leaned back into his embrace tilting her head to the side providing him better access to her neck.

"Mmmm, that feels nice," was her response. She turned in his arms and kissed him wrapping her arms around his neck. The kiss was tender and loving and ended with them smiling into each others eyes.

"What time are we supposed to meet the guys tonight?" she asked returning to the task of selecting a top to wear.

"About 8:00, I guess. But if you don't want to go, that is fine." He answered glancing at all of the other outfits that had been discarded onto the bed.

"I think it will be fun, besides I wouldn't want Ryan to accuse me of being a shut-in again." She was holding two tops up. "What do you think...plum or white?"

Spike had made his way to an open corner of the bed and was reclining against the headboard. "Plum? Does that mean purple?"

She shook her head and chuckled, "Yes... purple. Which...purple or white?"

Spike wrinkled his brows questioning which was the right answer. In his mind they both looked nice. She began to glare at him waiting for an answer. She took a step closer to him with an expression on her face pressing him to answer.

"Ummm..." he stammered, then continued with desperation in his voice not knowing which she wanted him to choose, "you know I prefer you with neither." He wiggled his eyebrows up and down suggestively. Taking another step toward him, she pelted him with the shirts she was holding in her hands. He batted the projectiles away saying, "Hey...I'm a guy..." Anisa took a step closer and pretended to slap him. He pulled her onto the bed and covered her body with his pressing her into a deep kiss. They lost track of time quickly dispensing of the clothes they were wearing hands and lips moving everywhere.

Anisa rolled out of his arms. "Hey, we should get going to Carlo's," she said pulling on her jeans and grabbing the plum shirt. As she pulled it over her head, she realized that he hadn't moved. "C'mon, babe, it'll be fun and we don't have to stay out late if your tired."

Spike let out a sigh. Then with a wicked grin, he said, "I was having fun a minute ago."

Anisa recognized that he was stalling so she walked over to the bed and knelt down so she was face to face with him. "Talk to me. What's up?"

He reached up and pulled her face to his kissing her gently, almost tentatively. "Do you really want to go, 'Nis?"

"Only if you do, Mike. What's going on?" there was genuine concern in her eyes.

Mike smiled, kissed her on the top of her head and hopped out of bed. "OK, let's go," he said as he pulled on his jeans.

She eyed him skeptically and walked into the bathroom. He put on a clean shirt and was standing in the doorway watching Anisa apply some makeup. Spike didn't know why she bothered because he loved the fresh, clean look she had without the makeup. It made her freckles more visible, which he liked, but he knew she didn't.

Walking up behind her, he looked at his reflection in the mirror and rubbing his chin said, "Do I need to shave?"

Anisa gazed at him in the mirror and felt her heart leap in her chest. She had fought that attraction when they first met, but there was no denying it now and she was having hard time at present not dragging him back to bed. She turned to face him and, gently stroking the stubble on his jawline, she said, "Nah..." She quickly exited the bathroom to find her shoes.

"You sure?" Spike said continuing to examine his reflection.

"Yep...'cause if you start shaving, I am going to have to drag you back to bed and that would be a waste of good make-up," she explained with a smile grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the bathroom.

The car ride on the way to Carlo's was quiet with soft music playing in the background.

"Mike, were you at RCMP headquarters today?" she asked making conversation.

"Yeah, why?"

"No reason, just wondering."

Spike glanced at her quizzically. "I was just finishing up some stuff with Detective Danner for that cyber skimming case." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her nod her head and smirk silently.

"Why?" he insisted.

"Nothing. I was there today to talk to Sarge and overheard some of the girls talking about an SRU officer and I wondered who it was."

Spike looked perplexed. "What were they saying?"

Anisa debated internally whether to tell him what they said. She decided to give him a little information, "Let's just say that you made quite an impression and may have your own little fan club starting."

He looked at her to gauge if she were teasing him or not, "Huh?"

"They were just saying that an SRU officer was there and that he was 'totally hot'," she made her index and middle fingers into quotation marks.

Spike felt his face begin to redden... "must have been the cool pants."

"Yeah, that's it...they were just looking at your pants," Anisa snickered as they pulled into the Carlo's parking lot.

As Spike put the car into park, Anisa reached for the door handle, but before she opened the door, she glanced at Spike. He was just sitting there and with his hands on the wheel staring straight ahead. Anisa looked at him trying to decipher what he was thinking. Finally she understood what was bothering him, he was apprehensive about seeing all of the gang from high school. She thought she should let him work through it.

After a minute she gently placed her hand on his arm and said, "Mike, honey...you OK?"

He turned to look at her with a slightly haunted look in his eyes. "Yeah, yeah...I'm good. Sorry."

Anisa took his face in her hands. "It's gonna be OK."

"I know it's just that there are going to be a lot of people there from high school and that was not one of my favorite times," Spike confessed.

Anisa wanted him know that she understood how he felt, but that times had changed... people change. "I know this is tough for you and if you really don't want to go in, then we can go home. But I would hate for your memories of the past to prevent you from discovering some new relationships. You have matured and changed maybe they have, too. Besides, I get the impression that Tony and Nick might like to see more of you again... I think they miss your friendship." She could tell that he was mulling over what she had said so she gave him some time.

Spike was amazed that Anisa completely knew what was on his mind. He knew that all he had to do was say the word and she would be fine turning around and going home. He turned to look at her and was overwhelmed by what he saw. He saw his best friend, some who completely understood him whose love was true and honest. He took her face in his hands and kissed her.

"I love you," he whispered into her ear.

"I know," she beamed resting her forehead against his.

"C'mon, let's go," he said opening his door and stepping out of the car. He pulled her next to him and slid his arm around her waist. Whispering in her ear he said, "Is it bad that I kind of want to show you off to all the guys that didn't think I could get a good looking girlfriend."

"So I'm your arm candy?"

"Well..."

"I'm good with that," she said kissing his cheek as they entered the bar hand-in-hand and searched for Tony and Nick.

Nick spotted them and waved them over to a large table in the corner of the bar. Anisa could feel a slight tension in Spike's grip as they approached the table. Nick stood as they got near and brought Spike into a brief hug with a solid pat on his shoulder.

"Mike, I am so glad you came. Tony and I were just talking the other day about how cool it was to see you last weekend. He is going to be pumped that you are hear," said Nick excitedly. He then glanced at Anisa and, grasping her elbows gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek.

"Anisa, nice to see you again. Let me introduce you guys," he said turning back to the two women sitting at the table. "Mike Scarlatti and Anisa..?"

"McConnell," Anisa interjected completing his sentence.

"...McConnell, this is my wife Stephanie," continued Nick. A petite woman with pale blonde hair and crystal blue eyes stood to shake hands with Spike and Anisa. They exchanged greetings and then Nick continued the introductions, "And this is Tony's wife Kendra." Kendra also rose to shake hands with Spike and Anisa. She was tall, about 5'8" and athletically built with long, wavy, dark auburn hair and dark blue eyes.

After the introductions, Anisa and Spike took two of the empty seats at the table as Nick began to explain how Spike had helped them in high school. Tony returned to the table with a pitcher of beer and enough glasses for all of them.

Tony beamed when he greeted Spike, "Man, great to see you! I guess you guys met the girls." Anisa noticed Kendra's eyebrows raise in consternation at being called a 'girl'. Noticing it as well, Tony gave her shoulder an apologetic rubbed bringing a smile to her face. The wordless communication that transpired between the two of them made Anisa smile. Tony continued pouring beers for the group and the conversation flowed as they all got acquainted and reacquainted.

It wasn't long before Sammy's band took the stage and the conversation waned as they all listened and enjoyed the music. Between songs, Anisa leaned over and spoke softly in Spike's ear, "Why don't I plan to drive home, that way you can drink as much as you want."

He was about to protest but then smiled at her saying, "That's probably a good idea." He handed her the keys.

Kendra's voice interrupted their moment when she asked, "Anisa, what do you do?"

"I am a police officer...detective, actually," she answered watching Steph's eyes grow wide with surprise. Then quickly glancing at the others she saw surprise register on their faces. Noticing their expressions, too, Spike decided that he would offer some additional insight .

"Yeah, that is how we met," he said looking at Nick and Tony hoping that they remembered the enigmatic conversation from the previous week. "She and her partner had cornered a couple of guys who were running a white slave ring. The takers had a young girl as a hostage and Anisa and her partner didn't want to take any chances with her safety.."

"...so we called in the big guns. Team One showed up and 'neutralized' the situation and got the girl out safely," Anisa finished, smiling at Spike.

"Actually, you got the girl out safely," remarked Spike.

Tony looked at her with a mildly questioning gaze, "You didn't mention you were a police officer last week?"

"Yeah, well you would be surprised at some of the reactions I get, as woman, when I mention what I do,"Anisa responded. "Mike hadn't seen you guys in a long time and I didn't want to sour the reunion, but I guess I failed at that endeavor," she chuckled recollecting how their last encounter ended. "Sorry about that."

Nick laughed, "Don't be. I don't blame you, Doug was being an ass."

"As usual," his wife Steph added taking a sip from her beer.

The conversation flowed smoothly and Anisa noticed that Spike was relaxed and joking with his friends. Anisa found Steph and Kendra to be welcoming and fun. Steph had left her career in publishing to be a stay at home mom which she found both challenging and rewarding. Kendra had met Tony in med-school and the two had fell madly in love. She was a pediatrician in a busy practice although she was looking forward to starting a family soon. The three women hit it off famously.

Spike rose to get another pitcher.

"Mike, can you get me a coke?" she asked, having already reached her limit as the designated driver.

"Sure," he said kissing her cheek, he said softly in her ear, "I love you."

"Me, too," she said touching his cheek.

On his way to the bar, Spike ran into couple guys he had known in high school. They were glad to see him and as it turned out, Anisa had been right, they had matured just as he had. They all seemed like upstanding citizens and were impressed with Spike's accomplishments. The past appeared to be water under the bridge. Spike was talking to the bartender while he was filling up the pitcher when he felt a hand on his shoulder slide down his back and rest on his hip just above his behind. He smiled and turned around expecting to see Anisa.

"Hi, Mike," said the brunette who stood nearly eye to eye with him. Not giving him a chance to to say anything, she wrapped her arms around him. The overtly affectionate gesture did not go unnoticed and had garnered stares from most of the people in the bar area. Taken completely off guard, Spike gingerly hugged her back. He couldn't help inhaling her perfume and the memories flooded his brain. He blinked hard trying to get his bearings. He pushed her gently away from him.

"Hi, Gina," he answered wishing that she would take her hand from his shoulder, but she insisted on staying as close to him as she possibly could.

"You look great," she said rubbing her hands along his biceps.

"Thanks, so do you," he responded uncomfortably. Turning to the bar and picking up the now full pitcher, he said, "It was nice seeing you. I gotta go." He managed to disengage himself from her and was a bit dazed as he made his way back to the table. He hadn't seen her since the day she had broken his heart years before. He couldn't see that she was following him with her eyes as he returned to his group. He tried to clear his mind of what had just happened.

He set the pitcher down on the table, took his seat and began filling the glasses. Tony had seen what had transpired at the bar and clenched his jaw as he glared at the beautiful brunette at the bar. He was feeling protective of his friend knowing that Gina was bad news.

Having seen the peculiar look in Spike's eyes, Anisa touched his arm and asked, "Hey, you OK?"

Being interrupted from his thoughts, he turned to her with a wrinkled brow. When he saw her face, his demeanor softened and he replied, "Yeah...yeah, I'm good, why?"

"You just looked far away...and I think you forgot my coke."

"Oh crap, I did. Sorry. I'll go get one for you."

"Stay, I'll go," she said hopping up before he could protest.

As she approached the bar, she noticed there was a small crowd of men gathered around someone. When Anisa was able to catch a glimpse of the person who had captured their attention she saw perhaps the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. She was a tall woman with long wavy brown hair. Her features had the delicate beauty of Angie Harmon and the raw sensuality of Angelina Jolie. Anisa was looking at her when their eyes met. The brunette raised an eyebrow in a way Anisa was unsure how to interpret... a question... a challenge? The the right side of her full lips inched up into a wicked half smile.

"Did you need something?" asked the brunette with her eyes locked on Anisa's.

"Just trying to get to the bar, but you and your entourage has made it a bit difficult," Anisa offered congenially.

The brunette stepped aside waving her arms in an exaggerated fashion to part the crowd making a way for her, "Oh by all means, please step on up there." There was a snide smile creeping across her face that did not go unnoticed by Anisa. She could feel her ire begin to rise but managed to keep it under control and kept a placid demeanor.

"Thank you," Anisa said as she made her way to the bar and turning her back on the brunette. As she waited to get the bartender's attention, she could feel the other woman's eyes on her.

"So you are Mike's latest …. thing. Anita is it?"

The bartender finally acknowledged Anisa, "I'll have a Coke please." She turned to face the woman and smiled sweetly, "It's Anisa actually. I'm sorry, you have me at a disadvantage, I have no idea who you are." Anisa had decided to play her game, by not letting on that she had deduced that this was 'Gina'. Gina's eyes darkened when Anisa admitted to not knowing who she was.

"My name is Gina," she said with an edge to her voice.

Anisa paid for her drink and then said with a slightly patronizing smile, "Well, thank you Gina for helping get my drink." Anisa turned to leave the bar not wanting to continue the conversation any further, but as she passed Gina, her arm was jostled and her Coke spilled down the front of her.

She turned and glared at Gina who feigned remorse saying, "Ooops, sorry about that."

The bartender having seen the whole incident did not want to see it escalate into anything more serious attempted to diffuse the situation by saying, "Here you go, here is another Coke."

Anisa placed her spilled soda on the bar and took the new one thanking the bartender as she did. She walked back to table doing her best to swallow the anger that was rising from her core. She put her glass down at the table and excused herself to the rest room explaining that there was a slight mishap. She inhaled and quietly counted to ten as she walked into the bathroom in a desperate effort maintain her composure. While she was blotting her shirt, she managed regain her equilibrium. The door to the rest room swung open and in walked Gina.

"Gee, I hope your GAP t-shirt isn't ruined," Gina said dripping with insincerity. "It might cost a whole $5 to replace."

"No worries," Anisa said through gritted teeth trying to negotiate her way around the other woman. As she was about to pass around her, Gina grabbed Anisa's arm.

"Mike will chose me over your scrawny little ass. You can bet on it," she sneered at Anisa.

That was the last straw. Anisa grabbed the other woman's wrist and used it to twist her arm around her back and then shoved the larger woman against the wall.

Using her assertive police voice, Anisa said calmly, "Let me make this clear...if you lay your hands on me one more time, I will arrest for assaulting a police officer." Shoving her a little harder against the wall, Anisa asked, "Understood?" Gina nodded her head and Anisa released her and walked out of the bathroom leveling her breathing and evening her heartbeat.

Anisa took her seat next to Spike who rested his arm causally on the back of her chair. Tony looked across the table at her having seen the incident at the bar. He tilted his head as if questioning whether she was alright. She nodded indicating that she was fine and relaxed against the back of the chair. Anisa noticed Gina slink out of the bathroom and make her way back to the bar area where a crowd of eager young men gathered around her.

Spike and his friends shared another hour of casual conversation when, one-by-one they decided it was time to call it a night. Spike excused himself to the rest room as the the group made its way to the door.

Anisa was relaxed as she walked, feeling comfortable with the group until her eyes met Gina's which were fixed on her with venom. She returned the glare with a calm unemotional glance, then turned and walked out the door. Once outside the group waited for Spike to rejoin them.

Tony turned to Anisa and spoke softly to her, "Hey, I saw what Gina did at the bar. She is a conniving witch try not to let her get to you."

Anisa smiled at him, "Thanks, Tony. I'll try not to, but man, she is quite a presence." Tony offered her a smile and placing his arm around her shoulder gave her a gentle squeeze of encouragement.

Spike exited the bathroom and made his way toward the door purposely avoiding the bar area. He had almost made it through the crowd and to the door when he found himself face-to-face with Gina, who placed her hands on his chest.

"Mike, it was great to see you tonight. It brought back some wonderful memories," she said inching closer to him so that their mouths were only centimeters apart. Spike tried to back up, but the crowd was too thick.

Placing his open palms on her shoulders in an attempt to push her away, he responded, "Not all of them are good. I gotta go," he tried to get by her, but she kept pushing closer to him.

In a last ditch effort she kissed him on the cheek and spoke seductively into his ear, "I can't wait to see you again." Finally being released from her, Spike exited the bar wiping his cheek where she had kissed him. Once again he was stunned and taken aback by what had occurred. He rejoined the group and managed to regain his composure enough that he was able to say his goodbyes. The change in his demeanor did not go unnoticed by Anisa. Anisa got into the driver's side and Spike in the passenger side.

"It was fun hanging out with Tony and Nick. I really like them and their wives. Did you have fun?"

"Yeah," he responded looking at her. "You were right, we've all grown up and I ended up having a good time."

"Me too."

The conversation was light until the car fell into a pleasant silence each left to their own thoughts. Spike reached over placing his hand on Anisa's leg, he gave it a gently reassuring squeeze. He wasn't sure if he was reassuring her that he loved her or if he was reassuring himself. She placed her hand on top of his wrapping her fingers around them and squeezed them gently. They were entering her apartment when Anisa decided to address the elephant in the room.

"So... Gina was there," she stated calmly. "Wanna talk to me a little about your relationship with her?" She tossed her keys on the table and took a seat on the couch.

"I already told you, there is nothing to tell. We dated, we broke up end of story!" Spike snapped in annoyance.

Anisa rubbed her hands on her thighs then said softly, "Mike, I don't want to argue, I just want to understand you better. You were clearly affected by her presence there. So I'm thinking it was more than just casual dating. We've been together for a while now and I am just learning about her now..."

Spike ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "Why are you grilling me about this? You dated other people before me. Hell, you were married before you met me and I am not all over you about that."

Anisa's eyes got huge as he mentioned her late husband, that last comment stung. Standing and pulling herself to her full height of 5 foot 2 inches she said to him in a deep calm voice, "To refresh your memory you got very upset with me and called me a 'liar' when I told you I had been married...and... we were not even dating at that point."

"Can't you just trust me that it was no big deal?"

Anisa was getting angrier, "Mike, I do trust you, implicitly. But when someone that you say never meant anything to you spills a drink all over me and then grabs me in the bathroom not to mention left a smear of lipstick on your cheek, I have to wonder what you are not telling me."

"Look, I'm tired, it's been a long day. Can we just go to bed?" he pleaded.

"You can go to bed if you want, I'm going to have a beer," Anisa said defiantly, as she turned and went into the kitchen.

* * *

Spike trudged into the bedroom closing the door behind him...not softly. _'Why was she being so hard headed about this. He didn't want to talk about the most painful relationship he had ever had especially with Anisa. That was his past she was his future, right?'_ He peeked at his reflection in the mirror and swiped at the pink stain on his cheek. As he touched his cheek, he felt the softness of her lips. The memories flooded back...the softness of her fingertips as they tripped down his spine...the smell of her perfume...the feel of her body against his. All of the memories came back...the sight of her in bed with another man... the sound of her laughter when she saw the pain on his face...the sting of the humiliation that came with knowledge that she had cheated with many others.

He sat down on the bed with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. _'Damn it, what was he afraid of?'_

* * *

Anisa took a beer out of the fridge and sat on the couch. She hadn't meant to push so hard she just thought that if she knew what the story was she could understand his reaction better and manage any future interactions with Gina.

Based on his reaction to being questioned about Gina, Anisa started to wonder if maybe he still had feelings for her. Her mind began to play games with her. If it came down to a choice between her and Gina, whom would he chose? Until tonight she had no doubts where his heart belonged, but after his vehement push back she was less certain. _'How could she compete with a knock out like Gina?'_

Spinning the beer bottle in her hand, she thought back to Natalie Braddock. She had thought similar thoughts about her. But Spike had never shown any interest in Natalie and had chosen her over Natalie. Spike had been in a relationship with Gina. Anisa wondered if she should just walk away and let Gina and Spike pick up where they had left off. She peeled off the label as she contemplated that thought for a minute. But Anisa was invested in this relationship. She loved him more than she anything.

It soon became clear to her what she needed to do so she returned to the kitchen and poured the beer down the drain. She turned to exit the kitchen and didn't get further than the living room when Spike came out of the bedroom. They both gazed at each other for a moment without saying a word, trying to craft the right words to express their feelings.

Anisa took a step forward saying softly, "Mike, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to push." Spike looked at her face, the sorrow and earnestness in her eyes, her gnawing on her lower lip in worry. He walked over to her, took her hands in his and led her to couch nudging her to sit. He took a seat across from her on the coffee table.

Hanging his head a bit Spike said, "I'm the one who owes you an apology." Anisa started to interrupt with an objection, but he held up his hand to stop her. "I'm going to ask you to just listen. In addition to an apology, I owe you an explanation.

"I was thrown completely off balance tonight by Gina. I hadn't expected to see her and I had no interest in having any interaction with her. As you have deduced, it was more than just a casual relationship. We were in love … well, I was. When Gina showed an interest in me I thought it was a joke. She persisted and we started dating and I fell head-over-heels for her. She was my first love, I was blinded by my love for her." Spike glanced at Anisa who had drawn her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Her face was tucked behind her knees so he was unable to see her expression. He thought he saw anguish in her eyes. He wanted to explain to her that this was why he hadn't wanted to tell her about Gina, hadn't wanted this to be a source of pain to her. He wanted to wrap her in his arms and forget about Gina but he knew that he had to finish his story. He glanced down at his hands and took a deep breath steeling himself before continuing.

"We were happy or at least I was. I was living my dream, I had applied to the academy and was waiting to hear from them and was dating the most beautiful girl that I had ever seen. Finally, I got word that I was accepted to the academy and I thought my life was perfect. As you know my dad did not share my enthusiasm, but at least I had Gina. She acted the dutiful girlfriend when I told her the news, she smiled and we celebrated, but she kept asking me how long I was planning to be the police officer. When she realized that I was planning to make this a career she no longer tried to hide her disdain. I made excuses for her in my mind until one day, I finished work early and I walked in on her in bed with another guy. She looked at my face and said, 'What did you expect? You are obviously not going to make much money as a cop.' As the realization of what I was seeing registered on my face, she started laughing. I felt my heart crumble. The humiliation that followed that was unbearable. She had apparently been sleeping around the whole neighborhood for a while. I don't know if I would have been able to make it through without Mac." Looking up from his hands, he saw tears streaming down Anisa's face.

"Anisa,honey, I am sorry. This is part of the reason I didn't want tell you this story, I didn't want to cause you any pain or hurt you in any way." He was squeezing his fists in his hands.

Lowering her legs, she leaned over and took his hands in hers. "Mike, these tears are for the pain that you felt. How could she be so cruel?" He pulled her hands to his lips and kissed them.

Spike continued, "I'll be honest, it took me a while to recover from that, but eventually I did. Subconsciously, I began disassociating myself from the guys in the neighborhood, from high school because of the memories they churned up.

"When I was in the bedroom thinking, I thought about Gina and my feelings for her, but … I realized they couldn't compare to what I feel for you. It would be like comparing the infatuation of a teenager to the love of an adult who understands himself well enough to give his heart completely to someone else and receive that love back...completely, wholly, honestly.

"I was reluctant to talk to you about her for a couple of reasons. I was nervous about how you might react. I was really a geek in high school," Spike chuckled a little then continued, "...guess I still am. But I have been able to come to terms my geekiness, I use it, but don't let it define me. I guess I am more self assured about it." Looking her directly in the eyes, "Mostly I was afraid I would hurt you if you learned how much I had loved her and that ...you would leave me." The look in his eyes changed to one of pleading as he finished by saying, "it's not the same as the way I feel about you, you have to understand that."

Anisa moved to sit next to him on the table, the tears having left her eyes red and puffy and stains on her cheeks. Gripping his hand with both of hers she place it in her lap and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Thank you," she said in a voice barely above a whisper. She knew how painful it must have been for Spike to share that story. They sat there for a moment basking in their love for one another. Spike rose guiding Anisa up.

"Now are you ready to go to bed?" asked Spike. Anisa nodded and slid in next to him as they headed into the bedroom.

"So what did you do when Gina accosted you in the bathroom?"

Nonchalantly Anisa replied, "I threw her up against the wall and told her that if she laid her hands on me again I was going to arrest her for assaulting and officer."

Spike squeezed her to his side and said, "Nicely done, Sparky!" She playfully punched him in the ribs for using that name. They both giggled as they closed the bedroom door.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N**: Sorry this took so long to update, but this chapter is the big "meet the family" chapter. I had to re-write parts of it a few times. Some things happen in this chapter that, if this were the novel (which it is not), I would have delayed them allowing more time for characterization. I hope that I was able to make the actions an emotions believable (and interesting). Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Flashpoint ...boohoo.

* * *

**Knowing where you need to be **

**Chapter 7**

Sunday was a beautiful day with a clear blue sky and a crisp clean feeling in the air. Anisa was a bundle of nervous energy. She rose at 6 and went for a run, made a hearty breakfast, and was sitting drinking coffee and eating when Spike sleepily drifted into the kitchen.

"What in the heck are you doing up this early on a Sunday?" he muttered pouring a coffee.

"Couldn't sleep..."

"So you think coffee would help with that?" joked Spike pouring himself a cup then sitting down at the table. Anisa shot him a look of faux annoyance.

Handing him a plate of eggs she said with a smirk, "I can't help it that you are a slug."

"Yeah, but I'm your slug..."

"True," she said kissing the top of his head. "So should I make something to take to your folk's house?" There was a little trepidation in her voice.

Spike had a perplexed look on his face. "No...Ma will do all of the cooking,"

"Maybe flowers or wine?"

"You don't have to bring anything,"

"I can't show up empty-handed. My father would be very disappointed in me," she responded. Spike wasn't sure if she was kidding, but decided to just eat his eggs, not having any clue how to deal with her comments.

Anisa spent the rest of the morning piddling around the apartment doing laundry, cleaning the bathroom, vacuuming, scrubbing the kitchen... Spike silently watched, in a combination of wonderment and befuddlement, at her flit from task to task. When she started taking down her massive collection of books to rearrange them Spike couldn't take it anymore. He crossed the floor to her and gently but firmly stopped her hands from removing the books. He turned her to face looking into her eyes for an answer.

"Babe, what is up with you? You have been acting kinda crazy all day. What is going on?"

"What? Nothing," said Anisa with a look of confusion. Spike wrinkled his eyebrows and stared at her conveying an unspoken message. At the realization of what he was getting at Anisa slumped her shoulders.

"You gonna tell me what is bugging you?" Spike persisted.

"I-I, uh," she stammered, "I guess I am a little nervous about meeting your family."

Spike wrapped her in his arms and kissed the top of her head. She seemed so small as he held her.

"You have already met my mother and she likes you and Italian mothers rule the house... what she says goes."

Anisa looked at him dubiously not really believing that his mom ruled the house. "My sister will love you, she already does because she thinks that you make me happy...which you do." He pulled back slightly and kissed her as if to prove to her that it was true. Some of the tension he could feel in her began to melt away. She rested her head on his chest inhaling his scent deeply. He felt comfortable to her, as if he were wrapping not only her body in his arms, but her heart and soul, as well. He gently stroked her back, holding her close.

After exhaling a deep breath, Anisa admitted, "I'm really worried about meeting your dad. I want him to like me, but more than that, I don't want to be another reason to drive the wedge deeper between you two."

Leaning back a little, he placed his hands on either side of her face he spoke to her in a gentle yet potent tone, "Do not think that you or anything you do could ever damage my relationship with my father. I have come to realize that it is his issue and his alone. His problem is with me and your being in my life cannot worsen his opinion of me."

Her eyes began to pool as she thought of how much pain this rift caused him. Spike saw the tears forming in her eyes.

"Hey, hey, no tears, baby. Please... Your being in my life has brought me joy that I didn't think I could ever feel again. After Lou and Mac died, and dad got sick, my world started to close in on me and I thought that I would just find a way to muddle through. Then I met you and there is light again... I can go on living." He tenderly kissed her lips. It was a lingering kiss that held the promise of happiness...a future. As they separated, Spike smiled sweetly at her. "Why don't you take a shower and get cleaned up. I'll put these books away." Stealing a quick peck Anisa smiled and turned to go shower.

Spike began putting away the books that Anisa had taken down. Assuming that she had begun pulling down the classics section of her library, he smiled at the titles...The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde, The Plays of William Shakespeare, Jane Eyre. One by one he placed them back on the shelves. As he picked up the last one he glanced at the title, Wuthering Heights. He smiled because it was a classic love story that was in everyone's library and if it wasn't it should be. As he was putting it on the shelf a piece of paper fell out. Picking it up he saw that it was a handwritten note. He held it in his hand knowing he should put it back without reading it. He looked at it for a minute deciding what to do. Finally, his curiosity won out and he slowly opened the yellowed page. It was covered in a flowing yet masculine script.

_My dearest Anisa,_

_I know that today you are feeling the sadness and pain of your first break and that you and Mom have talked at length about it. She has given you great advice and you would do well to adhere to it as she is wise beyond her years. _

_Since I am just the dad and a member of the currently 'hated' gender, I simply offer this book to you as a sign that love can endure. As this book demonstrates love is never easy and without sadness and pain, but real love is always worth persevering through those hardships. _

_It is important to feel this pain so you will have empathy for those who suffer. It is important to experience adversity so you will know how to be strong in the face of it. It is important to feel sadness so you can recognize joy._

_When the time comes, and it will, you will find love, which is why I gave you this book. I know that you have read it already, but it is a classic love story and you should have a copy in your library. I also know you are a romantic at heart and believe in true love. I hope that when you find your love that it is simpler and without all of the tragedy as portrayed in Wuthering Heights. Remember that if your love is true and you remain true to it, you will find happiness in the end. _

_You are loved... forever._

_Dad_

Spike couldn't help but smile at the note as he folded it hack up and was tucking it back into the book. Anisa emerged from the bedroom wearing slim fitting jeans and teal color top that was flattering but not too form fitting.

"Is this OK?" she asked shyly pulling at her shirt trying to adjust so it was just 'so'. She looked at him cocking her head to the side slightly and sending him a questioning look. Spike smiled at her and closed the distance between them and sliding his hands onto her upper ribs. He then slid them slowly down to her hips letting his thumbs gently slide rub over her breasts and across her nipples. He felt rather than heard her quick intake of breath as he brought his lips to hers.

"You take my breath away," he murmured into her lips. She responded wrapping her arms around his neck pulling him close.

When they separated, Anisa said softly while resting her hands on his upper arms, "You still didn't answer me."

Spike kissed her again and said with a grin, "I thought I made it pretty clear."

"Mike!" she said indignantly. "I am essentially meeting your family for the first time and I don't want to send the wrong message."

Spike's eyes started to glaze over. He was pretty sure that anything he might say would probably be the wrong thing, so he tried to to stall while he thought of the right answer. Finally he sputtered, "You look great. They will love you."

She eyed him skeptically and said, "If they don't, I'm blaming it on you," then turned and went into the kitchen to retrieve the bottle of wine and flowers they had decided to bring. As they exited the apartment, Anisa grabbed the gift bag containing the present for Joey's 7th birthday.

"Mike, thanks for putting those books away for me."

"No problem," he answered debating whether he should tell her that he had read the note from her father. She glanced at him sensing there was something on his mind.

"Umm, when I was putting Wuthering Heights away, a note fell out...and I .. I know I shouldn't have, but I read it, it was from your dad." Spike offered sheepishly.

For a minute Anisa was confused and then she remembered the note and a smile crept across her face at the thought of it. She reached over and reassuringly put her hand on his leg and said, "It's OK, Mike. No secrets, here. He gave me that copy when I was 16." She began to chuckle at the memory.

"So you were pretty heartbroken, huh," he inquired earnestly.

She could hardly contain her mirth as she said, "Oh yeah, I was 16 and we, Eric and I, had been dating a whole month, maybe two, I can't remember now. I was sure that he was the one..." she was laughing now, "...until he dumped me for a cheerleader. I thought I would never recover." Still giggling, she continued, "Until he dumped her for the prom queen and I went to the prom with the valedictorian. I told you I always liked the smart guys." She glanced at Spike, seeing his dimples and the upturned corner of his mouth made her smile. Her face then turned a little melancholy.

"Hey, you OK?"Spike asked noticing the change in her demeanor.

She gave him a smile then answered, "Yeah. I was just thinking about that note. It was so 'my dad'. He was such a book nerd, he related everything to books. He was always my knight in shining armor...those are good memories. I miss him." Although she was reminiscing, the melancholy had diminished and her heart was filled with the with happiness of the love she had felt from him. Spike reached over and took her hand in his stroking her knuckles with his thumb. The two were left to there own thoughts for the last few minutes of the drive.

As Spike parked the car, Anisa glanced over at him noticing something in his eyes... a wistfulness. As they emerged from the car, it dawned on Anisa what was on Spike's mind. He had gotten quiet as she talked about her father and how close they were. It hadn't occurred to her that he would be saddened by the lack of closeness with his own dad. She took his hand and drew him close wrapping her arms around his neck and whispered in his ear.

"He loves you. I promise."

He held her close wondering how she could possibly know what he was thinking. Anisa slid her hand down to the side of his face stroking the shadow of his dimple. Unspoken words flowed between them as they gently kissed. The couple were unaware that Dominic Scarlatti was watching the interaction through window. He slowly turned away and made his way out of the room.

Spike slid his hand into her and led her to the front door. She stopped him as his hand reached for the door handle.

"Wait," she said in a panic as she dropped his hand and gave him the flowers to hold. She began rummaging through her purse as Spike looked on with a perplexed look. Her hand emerged with a mirror and a tube of lipstick. Spike's brow relaxed and a smirk crept across his face as he watched her put on a fresh coat of lipstick.

"How's that? Better?" she asked expectantly.

"Babe, you are beautiful. I personally think that lipstick is a waste of a cosmetic," he said as he stepped even closer to her. "...because I am just going to kiss it off." He bent down to kiss her causing her to giggle and turn her head to the side so his kiss landed on her cheek.

"Geeze, at least let the lipstick make it through the introductions," she chastised him playfully causing Spike to chuckle. He opened the door to the house and led the way in. Spike was immediately assaulted by a screaming boy of about 4 years of age.

"Uncle Mike!" Screamed the young boy who had attached himself to one of Spike's legs. The rest of the family entered the small foyer as Spike feigned knowledge that there was a child adhered to his leg.

"Where is the birthday boy? I would look for him, but I seem to have something stuck to my leg..." Without exchanging a word with Anisa, she took the wine and flowers from him so he was able to reach down and detach the child from his leg and sling him over his shoulder. Spike then found Joey amongst the group of people in the foyer and picked him up with his free arm. He gave the boy a big kiss on the cheek.

"Happy birthday, Buddy," said Spike as the boy wrapped his arms around his uncle's neck. Anisa was unaware of the broad smile that had enveloped her face as she watch Spike interact with his nephews.

"Uncle Mike! Finally you are here. Now I can open my presents!" screamed the boy with curly brown hair.

Spike put both boys down and said, "Hang on a sec. Don't you want to meet my friend?" Suddenly all eyes were on Anisa and she could feel her face start to redden. Seeing her color begin to change, Spike stepped over to her placing his arm around her waist he said, "I would like you all to meet Anisa McConnell. Anisa, this is Joey, the birthday boy." Spike took the wine and from her hands allowing her to extend her hand to the young man.

"Happy Birthday, Joey. It is a pleasure to meet you." Joey shook her hand and smiled shyly.

"And this little guy is Tommy," said Spike picking up the tike.

Anisa smiled sweetly and said softly, "Hi, Tommy." Suddenly the rambunctious toddler became shy and hid his face in Spike's neck. Spike smiled and took a step toward the adults who had gathered in foyer.

"Anisa, this is my brother-in-law Joe," introduced Spike.

Anisa extended her hand to a large man with dark wavy hair, handsome features and very dark eyes. "Nice to meet you, Joe."

He reached out slowly and took her hand. With a smile that slowly edged over his face, said, "It is indeed a please to meet you Ms. McConnell."

The handshake seemed to linger a little longer than Anisa felt was comfortable, when the moment was thankfully interrupted by Spike's sister who stepped in front of Anisa saying, "It is so good to finally meet you. I'm Maria, but everybody calls me Ria." Anisa was finally able to reclaim her hand from Joe and was about to extend it to Maria when she felt herself being embraced by the older woman. Anisa tentatively hugged her back feeling surprised by the intimacy of the act. That feeling dissipated almost immediately as she could feel the sincerity in the gesture. Anisa had noticed that Ria looked very much like Spike, but a female version. She had long, wavy dark hair, an angular nose that was a bit smaller and more feminine than Spike's and big chocolate eyes that were mirror images of her brother's...and of course she had deep dimples.

"Glad to meet you, Ria," Anisa responded beaming. The two women separated and Spike's mom stepped closer to Anisa.

"Hello, Mrs. Scarlatti. It is nice to see you again." The older woman placed her hands on the sides of Anisa's face and kissed each cheek. Anisa felt the warmth of the woman's lips on her skin and her mind went back to the comforting feeling she used to feel when her own mom would kiss her cheek. Anisa blinked her eyes a couple of times to keep the threatening tears at bay.

"Welcome to our home. I hope you will come here often," she said in heavily accented English.

Anisa felt her breath become short as emotion began to take over. "Thank you, Mrs Scarlatti. I would like that." Remembering the flowers in her hand, Anisa handed them to Spike's mother. "Umm... these are for you."

Mrs. Scarlatti took the flowers and with a smile said, "Thank you, you are so thoughtful." She stepped toward the kitchen to find a vase for the flowers.

Finally Spike approached his father apprehensively, but before he could introduce her to his father, Joey galloped over to his grandfather and interjected, "And this is my Nonno." Dominic Scarlatti eyed Anisa skeptically.

"Mr. Scarlatti, it is an pleasure to meet you," she said formally extending her hand. He took her hand, shook it and gave her a terse nod of his head, his look lingering a bit as if pondering some deep thought.

"Hello," said the elder Scarlatti whose attention was quickly redirected to his grandson who had put his arm around his grandfather and was leading him into the other room. Anisa glanced at Spike who offered a weak smile not sure what his father had been thinking when he greeted her. He casually took her hand in his and led her into the living room following the rest of his family. As they entered room, Anisa saw a young teenage girl slouching in a chair in the corner fiddling with her cell phone.

Ria wrinkled her eyebrows at the girl and said, "Cici... come here, I want to introduce you to Uncle Mike's girlfriend." The young brunette tried and failed to be subtle with her eye-roll as she flopped out of the chair dragging her feet over to where her mother was standing. Ria continued with the introductions, "This is my daughter Cecilia, she is 13. Cici, I would like you to meet Anisa McConnell."

"Hey," mumbled the girl barely raising her had to acknowledge Anisa.

Anisa grinned and responded in kind, "Hey."

Little Joey started jumping up and down anxious to get to the presents. "Settle down," came the stern but delighted voice of his mother as she pulled him into her lap. Michelina Scarlatti approached the boy with a large box.

Anisa sat next to Spike on the couch and he slung his arm casually around her shoulder tucking her into the crook of his arm. Ria glanced at her brother giving him a sly smile. Meanwhile, Joey ripped into the paper of the gift.

Joey's face lit up as he saw the box with the giant remote control truck, "Nonna! Nonna! I love it! You are awesome." He opened the box as quickly as he could and began pulling it out of the box boisterously. Spike jumped up to lend a hand and prevent it being inadvertently being broken.

"Let's see what we have here, buddy," said Spike taking the truck out of the box carefully. "I gotta grab some scissors and a screwdriver and we will be in business," said Spike jogging into the kitchen. Joey went up to his grandmother and wrapped his arms around her neck.

"Thank you Nonna. I love you!" Then running over to his grandfather, Joey put his arms around his chest saying, "I love you so much Nonno! Thank you." Dominic Scarlatti responded by encircling the boy in his arms with a smile reaching from ear to ear. He closed his eyes letting the joy of holding a child he loved sweep over him. Anisa was moved by the emotion she saw in the gesture. Spike returned wielding the utensils needed to get the toy going.

"While Uncle Mike sets it up, why don't you open another present," said Ria handing him another package. With a big smile the boy eagerly began ripping the paper off the present. As he got down to removing the final piece of wrapping paper from the new present, the remote control truck came to life and crashed into Joey's leg being steered by Spike who had a look of sheer glee on his face.

The sight of Spike playing with his nephew brought joy to Anisa's heart. He looked so happy it nearly near made her cry. She glanced at Spike's father who watching the scene with quiet satisfaction. Anisa could see the love in his eyes ... and not just for the young boy.

The next present was an Erector Set with moving parts from Spike. "Uncle Mike, I don't know how to do this," said the boy sounding a bit intimidated by it.

"Not to worry, little man," said spike with a smile. "I got this so we could build it together. I thought maybe I could teach you how to build this into a robot...What do you think?" The little boy's eyes got huge.

"That would be so awesome!" he said hugging his uncle so hard that he knocked them both over so the fell into a pile of giggles. Everyone in the room was laughing at the two of them rolling on the floor in fits of giggles. Even Cici was smiling Anisa noticed. All except big Joe who slipped out of the room and into the kitchen..

The final gift was from Anisa. She handed the small gift bag to Joey and sucked in her lower lip worried about what the reaction might be. The boy reached into bag and pulled out a cap that sported the FBI emblem on the crown. The bag also contained a children's book on forensic science. She had bought these at the gift shop at Quantico.

Spike took the cap and placed it on Joey's head saying, "Cool!" Spike looked over the boy's shoulder as he withdrew the book from the bag. Spike's eyes lit up like a little kid, "Whoa... that is really cool!" The boy sat down next to his uncle and started flipping through the book. He would point to a picture and ask what the person in the picture was doing and Spike would explain. Anisa smiled to herself at the sight, but then glanced at Spike's dad and saw a look of … concern on his face. She began to feel uncomfortable, afraid that she may have added to his anxiety.

Spike continued to play with the birthday boy and little Tommy on the floor. The three of them chased the remote control car around the first floor. Ria and Mrs. Scarlatti got up to work on dinner leaving Anisa and Spike's dad in the living room... and Cici who was engrossed with her texting. Anisa was feeling a little anxious but decided to take a leap and start a conversation with Spike's dad.

"So Mike tells me that you are a soccer fan. Juventus?"

Raising an eyebrow, the elder Scarlatti nodded slowly as the hint of a smile drew the corner of his mouth up. "Do you like soccer? "

"I love it. I am more of a Barcelona fan, myself. What do you think about the Juventus coach's suspension?" asked Anisa.

"I think it is rubbish. He is being made a scapegoat," his voice began to grow louder and more heated.

"You may be right, Game fixing does seem to be more of a problem in the Italian league than some others. They are cracking down pretty hard and trying to make examples of specific people. Conte may have been caught up in the frenzy," Anisa agreed. The two engaged in a lively discussion about European soccer.

When the excitement of the subject of soccer waned, Mr. Scarlatti shifted topics. "So you are also a police officer?" Anisa nodded quietly. "What does your father think about that career choice?" he asked cutting to the chase.

"My parents are no longer alive so I can't say for sure, but I am confident that he would be proud of me and my reasons for making that decision. Would he have preferred that I pick a more traditional career for a woman? Probably, but he would understand my need to try to make this world a better place...a safer place for people who are less able to protect themselves." She watched him nod his head silently as if considering what she had said. "When my parents were killed I felt helpless and scared. I was alone. I could have chosen to go into business which is what my original plan was when I went to college, but after some soul searching, I felt I needed to do more to honor my parents. So I joined the military and found that I was good at that... exceptionally good at it. I felt as if I was actually doing something productive. Maybe that was naïve, I don't know, but it made it easier for me to sleep at night. When I got out of the military, I wasn't sure what to do. I learned from my experience in the military that I am deceptively strong physically and emotionally. That and the other skills I learned in the military seemed best suited for the police force and I could still my follow plan of helping those who needed my help." She looked at his face to gauge his reaction but saw nothing. "There are plenty of people who are intelligent who succeed in business and other professions, but most of those people don't have the other skills and abilities that I do...nor the need to see justice and the ability to help the helpless." Still his look was impassive.

"What about family? Don't you want a family?"

"Honestly, that has never really been an issue. I never really thought about it...until recently at least," she admitted.

Mr. Scarlatti studied her face and then looked into her eyes, "And now?"

Anisa fidgeted in her seat a bit, "Well...now I may have a reason to reexamine my career. I like what I do and I don't think I will ever not want to be a police officer, but if there comes a time when children enter the picture, I may rethink my role on the force."

"Wouldn't you worry about leaving you children motherless?" he pressed bluntly.

Anisa took a deep breath before answering, "No. I am good at what I do. If I were afraid of being killed I would have chosen a different career. I would hope that I would raise children who value life and with charitable hearts. I would also hope that they would want to use their talents to help others and in turn would respect and understand my career decision." There was a firmness in her voice that sent the message that I will stick to my convictions and I hope that you can understand and respect them also because I will not apologize for them.

Mr. Scarlatti mulled over what she said but did not respond. Their moment of silence was interrupted by big Joe re-entering the room. Anisa took this opportunity to excuse herself and proceed to the kitchen to help with supper.

"It smells wonderful," said Anisa inhaling deeply as she entered the kitchen. "What are you making?"

"Spaghetti bolognese...it is Joey's favorite," answered Mrs. Scarlatti and then added, "Do you like to cook?"

"I do, but don't always have a lot of time to make fancy dishes," Anisa responded with a smile. "And I know better than to attempt anything Italian because nothing can compare to your cooking, according to Mike. He is a pretty good cook himself, you have taught him well."

Mrs. Scarlatti smiled at Anisa and patted her arm. "Thank you. I am glad he has someone to cook for. You make him happy. Happier than anyone I have ever seen him with."

Anisa blushed slightly, not sure what to say that wouldn't sound trite and insincere,"I...I..."

Michelina Scarlatti handed her a large basket of bread saying, "Could you take this into the dining room and help Cici set the table, please?"

Taking the basket, she said, "Sure." When Anisa entered the dining room she saw Cici setting the table. Anisa placed the bread basket in the center of the table and asked, "Need some help?"

"Suit yourself," the girl answered with a shrug.

Anisa picked up some utensils and began laying them on the table in place settings. "So what grade are you in?"

"8th," was the one word reply. Anisa nodded recognizing that having a conversation with the girl would be a challenge.

"Hmm. I hated 8th grade," confessed Anisa. "I didn't really fit in with most of the other girls. I had reddish hair, buck teeth, freckles and was a kind of a tomboy. Clearly I was not one of the "popular" girls. I was thankful I had my best friend, Lynne... I managed to survive that year." Anisa thought she saw a glimmer in the girls eye suggesting that she had made a connection. "It got a little better for me in high school."

"Yeah, well you don't know what it's like to be the only girl in a male-focused Italian family where your 7 year old brother is a genius," remarked the girl with a combination of surliness and anguish.

"That's true, I don't have any siblings," said Anisa feeling her heart ache for the girl.

"You're lucky. You weren't always being stuck babysitting your annoying baby brother while you mother drove the genius around to his various activities," she said dripping with resentment.

Deciding to take the focus off her brother, Anisa asked, "So what activities do you like to do? If you weren't stuck babysitting your brother, what would you do?" She smirked a little as she asked the last question.

Folding a napkin, Cici said, "I don't know. I like to write, and I like music. I taught myself to play the guitar, I would really like to take music lessons, but... well that is never going to happen."

"What do you like to write? Stories, music?"

"Stories and poetry I guess."

"That's really cool. Maybe you could turn some of you poetry into songs."

"Maybe..." she said clearly thinking about the suggestion. "I really want to take some lessons so I can understand music better."

"Can't your dad take you to music lessons?"

"Psht...yeah right..." she said with disdain. "It might interfere with his nights out with the guys...'I work all day and then you expect me to drive you around?'" she offered the last statement in a mockingly deep manly voice. Anisa chuckled at her imitation of her father.

"That sucks," Anisa empathized. Again trying to redirect the conversation, "So have you written any songs?"

CiCi was hesitant to answer. "Well, a couple, but they are not very good."

"We are all our own worst critics. I'd like to hear them sometime."

"I don't have a very good voice," said the girl almost shyly.

"I don't think that necessarily matters. Look at Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan...not great voices, but extraordinary artists. Besides, I would never be one to judge other people's singing. I have a horrible voice, but I sing around my apartment all the time. Singing makes me happy."

Cici chuckled and tried to sound reassuring, "I'm sure it's not that bad."

"Ha ha... ask your uncle. He says I sound like a dying cow...of course, I am sure he means that in the most loving way possible," Anisa joked. Cici laughed heartily at that image. Ria poked her head into the dining room and saw her daughter laughing. Happy to see her daughter amused, she decided to leave her with Anisa and went back to the kitchen to help her mother dish up the food.

"You know that your mom had a younger brother that was pretty smart, she might know how you feel. You could talk to her about it."

"Uncle Mike?" she asked incredulous. "You have got to be kidding! He is always acting like a big dorky kid."

"Heehee... yeah he does like acting like a goofball... and he is really good with kids. But he is pretty smart. You know he built a robot."

"Really?" she asked incredulous. "Hmmm, I guess you can't always judge book by it's cover – that's a saying my mom uses all the time."

"She's right."

"Who's right?" asked Ria as she entered the dining room carrying a big bowl of pasta.

"No one," Cici answered quickly causing Anisa to chuckle.

"OK...can you let the guys know supper is served?"

They all took seats at the table with the elder Scarlattis at either end of the table. Ria was flanked by her two sons and Joe sat next Tommy. On the other side of the table, Spike was flanked by Anisa and Cici with Anisa sitting next to Dominic Scarlatti and directly across from big Joe. Before dinner began, Mrs. Scarlatti held hands with the children on either side of her and began to say grace. Everyone else at the table followed suit. Spike took Anisa's hand and gently rubber his thumb along her knuckles and she felt a whisper of tension release from her body. Dominic Scarlatti held her hand securely as he recited the prayer. When it was over he placed her hand on the table then patted it gently a couple of times in a reassuring manner. Anisa smiled at him hoping that she properly understood his silent message.

The conversation during dinner was casual and lighthearted with family members catching up with one another over the weeks events.

Ria looked at her at her brother and said, "I hear you were at Carlo's on Friday. Did you have fun? How was Sammy's band?"

"Yeah. It was fun, got to see the old gang," Spike explained and told stories anecdotes from the evening with his friends. Anisa enjoyed hearing Spike's jovial commentary on Friday night's activities.

Joe interrupted the pleasant conversation by saying, "Mike, I heard that Gina is back in town. Did you see her?" You could have heard a pin drop.

At the mention of Gina's name Anisa stiffened imperceptibly... but Spike noticed and placed his hand on her leg out of view.

"Yes, I saw her, briefly."

"Man...is she still as hot as she used to be?"

"JOE!" roared Ria smacking her husband in the arm.

"What? She was!" he exclaimed innocently.

Anisa rose and began clearing the dishes anxious to be out of the room that had become thick with tension. She placed the first pile of dishes on the counter and turned to go back and retrieve some more when she saw Cici walk into the kitchen with a handful of dishes, as well.

"My dad can be such a jackass."

"Hey, you probably shouldn't talk about your father that way," said Anisa trying to overshadow her own feelings.

"OK 'jerk'," said Cici sarcastically cause a smirk to appear on Anisa's face.

"Well, I met Gina and she is 'hot'," chuckled Anisa tossing her arm around the girl's shoulder as they walked out of the kitchen.

Spike passed them with a stack of dishes and Anisa followed with her hands full as well. After she put her stack of dishes on the counter she realized that Spike was looking at her. She smiled as she looked into those eyes that still made her knees weak. He took a step closer to her gently touching her face. He drew her lips to his kissing her softly then whispered, "Hey you."

She responded with, "hey you."

"You doing OK?" he asked sliding his hands down to her waist and pulling her closer.

"Yeah, I'm good," responded Anisa.

"Joe can be …."

"...a jackass? Not my word, his daughter used that term of endearment."

Spike chuckled, "Yeah..a jackass. Frankly the only reason I even tolerate that man is because, for some unknown reason, my sister loves him." Nuzzling her neck, he said, "I'm sorry that I haven't spent any time with you since we got here."

Savoring the feeling on her neck, she said, "Mike, you are with your family and I don't need a babysitter. I had a nice chat with your dad about game fixing in the Italian league and I got to know you niece a little."

"See, I told they wouldn't bite" stated Spike with a wide grin. "Uh-oh, you didn't talk about Conte did you? 'Cause my dad might actually bite if you did."

Kissing him on the chin she stepped away and said, "Let's start washing these dishes." She busily began the task of cleaning when she heard the squeal of little children bringing a smile to her face.

"Uncle Mike, come on. You have to help us!"

Spike looked at Anisa who nodded in the direction of the children. He kissed her quickly and then trotted into the living room where he was quickly tackled by two young boys. Ria joined Anisa washing and drying the dishes.

"So how are you handling the big 'meet the family' day?" Ria asked with a smile.

Anisa grinned and honestly said, "It's not nearly as bad as I had thought it was going to be. Actually, it has been really nice. I've been pretty independent most of my life, but I have to say that seeing this whole family together made me miss having my family around."

Thinking she may have hit on a sore subject Ria was quick to say, "Oh I'm sorry I didn't mean to bring back sad memories."

"Oh no, they aren't sad. They are actually happy memories. I was really close to my parents and I miss them. It is heartwarming to see three generations of your family together. This house is filled with love and respect...everything a family should be." Anisa placed a reassuring hand on Ria's arm.

Changing the subject, Anisa asked, "Tell me what it was like to be the older sister of a brainiac."

"Ha ha, he prefers 'gifted'. It had its good moments and its less than stellar moments. He helped me with all of my homework, which was awesome. I resented him a little because he never had to study for anything and he skipped a couple of grades. Made me feel not-so-bright. On the downside, he was teased for being a nerd. He never let on that it bothered him, but it had to have gotten under his skin. And sometimes I was teased for having a nerdy brother."

"I bet that must have been tough. Cici was telling me that Little Joey is a 'genius'...her word not mine."

"Yeah he is pretty bright. Reminds me of Mike. I worry about him though. I saw what Mike went through and I am worried that Joey will have to suffer like he did."

"True. But Mike made it through and nobody picks on him now, because he is a geek with combat skills," both women chuckled at that comment. "Joey will have Mike to help him through the potholes as he gets older. Besides, I am not sure that geeks have the same stigma today they did 15 years ago. And he has parents that love and support him... what more could he need in the long run."

Ria smiled at Anisa and nodded, "Maybe you are right." Ria looked down at the plate she was drying. "You know, I worry about Cici. I know it is a teenage thing, but she keeps shutting me out."

"Thirteen is a tough age," Anisa agreed. "She was telling me she wants to take music lessons. I know you must be really busy with three kids, but maybe if you could figure a way to get her lessons, you could spend some one-on-one time with her on the drive. I'll volunteer to help any way I can. I could watch the boys if you want." Anisa looked at the other woman trying to read her expression but was uncertain what Ria was thinking. "It was just an idea."

Ria stopped what she was doing and looked into Anisa's eyes. "Are you serious about watching the boys?"

"100%!"

"OK. Let me see what I can do about the music lessons and I will get back to you. Deal?"

"Deal!" Anisa responded with a grin.

Tommy scampered into the kitchen and shrieked, "Come on, Mommy! It's time for "Happy Birthday" and cake." He tugged his mother's hand and led her into the dining room. Anisa followed closely behind and found herself standing next Cici when the group gathered around to sing "Happy Birthday". As the song ended and Little Joey was making his wish and blowing out the candles, Anisa noticed that Cici was biting back laughter. When Anisa shot her a quizzical look, Cici burst and let loose a stream of giggles.

"What?" asked Anisa quietly.

"I'm sorry, but Uncle Mike was right...although I was thinking more like a cat in a bathtub than a dying cow."

Realizing the girl was critiquing her singing, Anisa gave her playful shove and then joined in the laughter. Although he couldn't hear what they were saying, Spike watched the interaction between his niece and Anisa and couldn't help but smile. As Mrs. Scarlatti was dishing out pieces of cake, Anisa excused herself to the bathroom which was at the end of a short hallway on the other side of the house.

Anisa opened the bathroom door to exit and found herself standing face to face with Joe. It was a narrow hallway and he had one arm on each wall, essentially blocking her way.

"Hey, Joe, I didn't know you were waiting," she said trying to maneuver around him, but he would shift his stance to block her progress with every step she made.

"Oh, I wasn't waiting for the bathroom. I was actually waiting to talk to you."

Feeling uncomfortable with the situation, Anisa had her guard up. "OK, what can I do for you?" she asked immediately regretting her choice of words.

Joe wiggled his eyebrows up and down suggestively causing Anisa's back to straighten and her to take a more defensive posture. Joe smirked saying, "I just wanted to ask you something."

Still wary, Anisa asked,"What did you want to know?"

"Well … I have been trying to figure out how geeky Mike could possibly land a hot girlfriend. We were all dumbfounded when he dated Gina. You met her...you know that she is freaking gorgeous. Some of us speculated that maybe the sex was phenomenal, but I know for a fact that wasn't the draw for Gina." This statement gave Anisa reason to wonder how he 'knew' that, but she just simply glared at him.

"Is there a question in there somewhere, Joe?"

"I thought you might have a question for me...like how did I know about his sex life with Gina...She told me herself," Joe stated and waited for the words to sink in before continuing. "So what is the draw for you? Why would a pretty girl like you be interested in my dorky brother-in-law?"

Anisa was frozen in a state of shock as he took a step closer to her. He brought his hand up to gently stroke her cheek as he said, "Anytime you want to know how a real man feels, just let me know."

Anisa took the heel of her hand and drove it up into his jaw. He was taken off guard and the impact slammed his head against the wall with more force than he thought possible from such a small person. Anisa then drove the heel of her other hand into the spot in the center of his chest between his rib cage just below his sternum. He doubled over from the pain.

Anisa stepped back and said, "If you ever lay your hands on me again, I will leave you in such pain you will never forget the day that you were beaten up by a girl." Not waiting for a reply, she stepped over his crumpled form and calmly made her way back to the group.

She sat down next to Spike who immediately knew something was up. He placed his hand on her leg and kissed her cheek whispering, "Are you OK?"

She smiled and nodded, "I'm good." She squeezed his hand in an effort to make her point.

Dominic Scarlatti was clearly getting weary and when he began coughing he rose to leave the room. He said his 'good nights' to his family as they all came up to hug him. When Anisa came to say good night he took her hands in his and squeezed them gently.

He smiled at her and said commandingly, "We will finish our discussion of the European league next week." Spike went to his side and helped him up the stairs to his bedroom.

When Spike returned to the living room he saw Anisa on the floor playing with Tommy. He also noticed that Joe was sulking in a chair in the corner. He was sure something had happened, but he wasn't sure what. The gathering was drawing to a close and everyone said their goodbyes.

For the first time in ages, Cici came up to Spike and smacked him lightly in the arm (she wasn't a hugger) and said quietly to him "Good job, Uncle Mike. She's a keeper."

Spike chuckled at his niece, "Thanks, Cici, I think so, too."

Spike slid his arm around Anisa's waist as they walked to his car. She leaned into the security of his touch. Before she got into the passenger side of the car, Anisa reached up and kissed him lovingly on the cheek.

"I love you more than anything in this world, Mike," she spoke softly into his ear. He pulled his head back slightly and held her face in his hand looking into her eyes.

"I love you, too. Let's go home," he said kissing her lips.

Once they were on their way, Spike glanced over at Anisa. "You seem to have survived meeting the family."

"Yeah... in retrospect I don't know what I was so worked up about. How can you stand being around someone so neurotic?" she said shaking her head.

"You may be neurotic, but you're kinda cute...and you are my neurotic," he teased. "What did you think of the family?"

"They were great. I actually had fun. I love Ria's openness and sincerity. Cici is fascinating. Did you know she taught herself the guitar?" Anisa explained.

"Really? I didn't know that."

"Those boys adore you, Mike. It is so sweet to see. How do you think the family felt about me?" she asked a bit sheepishly.

"You managed to accomplish something that nobody has been able to do in nearly a year...you got Cici to actually laugh... and she told me you were a 'keeper'."

They spent the rest of the ride home talking about the evening. Once they arrived at the apartment Anise realized she was exhausted and headed to the bedroom followed by Spike. He slid his arms around her waist from behind and bent to kiss her neck.

"Can I ask you something?" he whispered.

Leaning back into him, she said, "Sure."

He turned her in his arms so they were facing each other. "When you came back from the bathroom at my parent's house you were...I don't know...tense. Did something happen?"

Anisa momentarily considered telling him that nothing happened and she didn't know what he was talking about, but she knew he would see through that. _'No Secrets' _she reminded herself.

Fidgeting slightly, she responded, "It's nothing really. When I came out of the bathroom, Joe was in the hallway. He said something that wasn't very nice, so I basically told him shut up and back off."

Spike looked at her sideways knowing that there was more to the story. "We have already established he is a jackass...what did he say?"

Anisa looked in to his chocolate eyes not wanting to tell him exactly what was said because it might hurt him. "He made a comment about you and Gina and not understanding what she saw in you."

Spike knew her well enough to know that a simple comment like that wouldn't bother her that much so he pressed, "And..."

She was reluctant to tell him that Joe had alluded to sleeping with Gina, because that would hurt him so she simply added, "He told me that if I wanted a real man, he would be there for me."

Spike released her and took a step back, his look penetratingly intense as he processed all of the implications of what she said. Anisa wanted to avoid additional questions knowing that any further information could only hurt or upset Spike.

"I basically told him go pound sand and walked away," she explained hoping to end the conversation.

Spike wasn't buying that was all that happened so continued to stare at her. "Did he touch you?" Anisa desperately wanted to respond without upsetting him, but was unsure what to say. She hesitated and she wasn't fast enough with her response.

"He did, didn't he?" She could hear the rage in his accusation and although she knew it wasn't directed at her, she wanted to calm the situation.

"Miiiiike!..." she said warning him not to overreact or jump to conclusions. "Look it wasn't what you think. He just touched my cheek...and then I ended it in no uncertain terms." Spike began to calmed a bit. The look in his eyes slowly changed from anger to one of concern.

"He didn't hurt you did he?" Spike said softly stepping closer again. Anisa wrapped her arms around his neck pulling his body close to hers.

"No he didn't hurt _me_, haha," she chuckled put extra emphasis on the 'me'. She kissed the base of his neck. He slid his arms around her waist and up her back as he looked down at her face.

Sensing that she wasn't telling him the whole story he smirked asking, "What does that mean?" She kissed his chin and smiled mischievously.

"Let's just say that he may have a small bruise...or two as a reminder to stay away from me."

"Oh Sparky, you never cease to amaze me," he said happily as he bent down and kissed her.

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry this was so long. I tried to split it up, but there didn't seem to be a good place for a break. Originally I had planned to put some action in this, but as previously mentioned, it got too long. AiP... I promise action in the next chappy. Would love to know if you all thought the character interactions in this chapter were believable.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N**:Thanks to all of my reviewers. I am glad you are still liking the story and am sorry it has taken so long to update.

"_Phrases in quotes and italics_" are thoughts.

"_**Phrases in quotes, italics and bold"**_ are text messages.

"**Phrases in quotes and bold**" are directly from the episode.

Spoilers for "The Good Man." This is A/U so I have changed somethings to make them fit my story (sorry) and of course the comments about Natalie Braddock from this episode have been completely deleted... since we covered that relationship in my first story.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Flashpoint related except some DVDs.

* * *

**Knowing where you need to be**

**Chapter 8**

Spike slept fitfully that night. When he woke the following morning and reached across the bed for Anisa she wasn't there. His eyes flew open in panic until he looked at the clock and saw that it was 5:30 in the morning. He smelled coffee brewing in the kitchen and remember that it was Monday morning and they both had to go to work. Rubbing his eyes he tried to shake the images of the dream that had interrupted his sleep several times that night.

"Who is this handsome man in my bed?" Anisa said placing two coffee cups on the nightstand. He hadn't heard her enter the room so he pulled his hands from his face in time to see her lay down next to him.

Turning onto his side to face her, he brushed a wisp of hair from her face and said, "Nobody important, just me, a geek from Woodbridge." His grin revealed the dimples that indented his cheeks. He reached over and pulled her face to his capturing her lips in a deep kiss.

When they parted, she said a little breathlessly, "You better be careful doing that. You wouldn't want my boyfriend to catch you, he's a pretty tough guy with some kick-ass combat skills."

"I'm not worried..." he kissed her again, "...I bet I'm smarter than he is." She responded to his kiss with enthusiasm.

Handing him a cup she said, "I brought coffee."

"Mmm, thanks," he muttered taking sip of the steamy beverage.

"You wanna talk about it?" she asked.

"About what?" he asked honestly confused.

"You were so restless all night, tossing and turning, that I figured you must have had a bad dream or something."

Then Spike remembered his dream and said, "Oh sorry about that. It wasn't really a bad dream as much as it was weird." He glanced at her and saw that she was listening intently, so he continued, "You were in it." She silently raised her eyebrows behind her coffee cup. "I was standing on this hill and you were at the bottom. You were trying to get to me, but there was this tangle of ...I don't know, vines or wires or something. It was almost like a web and every time you tried to get closer, you became more entangled." He looked at her again and she was still sitting there listening and not saying anything. "I tried to get to you, but no matter what I did, I didn't get any closer...The really weird thing was that this web was being held by people." She cocked her head to the side curiously. "Like Gina, Joe, my dad, Natalie Braddock, Doug and then some people that I couldn't see very clearly."

"Hmmm, that is strange. I wouldn't put too much stock in it, though, it is just a dream."

"Yeah, but I wonder what it means. I am sure that some shrink would have a field day with it," said Spike with a smirk.

"You know, it might just mean that you had too much garlic last night...just saying," she offered with a smile.

He chuckled and nodded, "I sure hope not, because there will be a lot of sleepless nights in my future."

Anisa grinned at him as she got up from the bed, saying, "I'm going to jump in the shower."

"Need some help?" he jested.

"Ha ha... no thanks, I don't want to be late on my first day back at work."

* * *

Spike was in the gym pedaling hard listening to his iPod while his mind wandered all over the place. He thought about his dream, trying to decipher the meaning of the imagery. Then his mind went back to the evening before and Joe. He began to feel rage building inside him and inadvertently began pedaling faster. He was angry that his brother-in-law had propositioned his girlfriend. He was angry that his brother-in-law wanted to cheat on his sister. He was angry that all this had happened at his family's home.

"Hey Lance Armstrong, you training for the Tour de France?" asked Sam nudging his friend.

Before Spike had a chance to answer, Winnie's voice was heard over the loudspeaker, "Hot Call, Team One, gear up!" The team was heading cross town to an alleged abduction of a mother and daughter. The daughter had been the target but the mother had tried to stop the abduction, so the takers grabbed her as well. Sergeant Parker and Jules gathered information on the victims while the rest of the team searched the city for the vehicle that was seen driving away with them.

The search for the vehicle led the team out of the city to a rural area. Thanks to Spike's new aerial toy they located the mother in a field where she had been left by one of the takers. The team sped off to an abandoned dairy barn where they located the stolen vehicle. As the team cautiously entered the barn, they discovered one of the perpetrators dead but there was no sign of the girl or the other taker. Wordy and Ed were up in the loft when they saw a truck speeding away through the field. Sam and Spike left the barn on foot in pursuit of the truck while Ed lined up a shot. _"BANG!" _ Spike saw the body of the driver slump over the steering wheel as the truck slowly rolled to the stop. Spike had his gun trained on the driver as Sam quickly got the kidnapped girl to safety.

The young girl embraced her mother when the group returned to the truck. It turned out that the girl's grandmother, who was suffering from dementia, had been misled into believing that the girl had been forced into a life of drugs and prostitution by her estranged daughter, the girl's mother. The grandmother had ordered the abduction thinking she was saving the girl from that life, but she had actually been extorted by her assistant. It was a bittersweet reunion of three generations.

The team was heading back to the barn for the debrief and it was a good 30 minute drive. Spike was looking out the window contemplating intricacies of family relationships while Wordy drove on silently.

"You OK, Buddy?" asked Wordy. "You're kinda quiet … for you."

"Yeah, Wordy, I'm good," he answered glancing at his friend. From the look on Wordy's face, Spike could tell that he was expecting more. "Just thinking about how complex family relationships are...sometimes painful, too."

"Whoa, that's pretty heavy stuff going on in that brain there," joked Wordy. Spike gave Wordy a gentle smile. "Speaking of family, wasn't this the big 'meet the family' weekend? How'd it go?"

"It was," answered Spike nodding his head. "I think it went pretty well. Anisa played with my nephews and got my 13 year old niece to talk and laugh. I am pretty sure that my mom and sister both liked her and...my dad told her he wanted to continue their discussion of the European football league next week, so I guess he liked her, too. So for the most part it went really well."

Wordy looked at his friend but could tell there was something still bothering him, so he added, "But...?" Spike glanced at Wordy and then looked out the window debating whether he should tell his friend what was really on his mind. "What part didn't go so well?" probed the older man.

"Well, nothing really, just my brother-in-law. He is such a jackass, sometimes...no most of the time...no all of the time."

"Why? What happened?"

Shaking his head in disgust, Spike replied, "He tried to hit on Anisa, he propositioned her. I am not sure what pisses me off more, that he hit on my girlfriend or that he was trying to cheat on my sister...Who is a saint for putting up with his crap."

"You're kidding!" Wordy couldn't believe what he was hearing. "He did that at your parents' house? Man he has balls. Did you see it?"

"No, he followed her down the hall to the bathroom where they were out of sight and out of earshot."

"Is Anisa OK? What did she do?"

Spike chuckled a little, "She is fine. I'm not exactly sure what she did, but I think she hit him somewhere not visible or obvious and told him to leave her alone."

"Isn't he over 6 feet tall?" Spike nodded his head at Wordy's question. A big grin spread across Wordy's face, "Remind me to never piss her off." After a minute, Wordy continued, "You wanna talk about what else is bugging you about that?"

Spike let a heavy breath out and said, "I just can't fathom why he would do that. And if he was willing to proposition my girlfriend, how many others has he propositioned and how many have taken him up on it?" Then sounding even more dismayed, he said, "How many times has he cheated on my sister?" Wordy was at a loss for words. Then continuing, "The big question is, should I tell her about it? I know what it is like to be humiliated like that and I can't sit by and watch that happen to my sister."

Glancing at Spike, Wordy could see the tension etched on his friend's face. "Wow, Spike, that is intense."

"What do you think I should do?"

"I don't know. Do you think your sister has any suspicion about her husband?"

"Wordy, I don't have any idea what she knows. How do bring something like that up?"

"Man, that is tough, I don't know what to say," answered Wordy. "Maybe you could start by just asking her how things are with him...Are they getting along?"

"Yeah, that is a possibility. I am just trying to process it all. I want to have a solid plan in my head before I do anything. I am not really expecting an answer, buddy, but thanks for listening," stated Spike with a smile.

* * *

Spike arrived at Anisa's apartment and could hear the heavy metal sounds of AC/DC gently pounding behind the door. He chuckled to himself as he shook his head at her rather eclectic taste in music. Letting himself in, he proceeded to the kitchen where she was peering into a pot on the stove. A broad smile spread across her face when she saw him enter the kitchen. Replacing the lid, she turned to face him as he enveloped her in his arms. Sliding her arms around his neck, her lips found his. They pressed their bodies together as the kiss deepened. When the kiss ended, they still held each other keeping their faces only inches apart.

"Hey you," murmured Spike.

"Hey you," she answered kissing him again.

"Mmmm... that is nice," sighed Spike.

Rising up on her toes, Anisa moved her lips to his ear, and whispered, "I love you."

"That is a good thing," smiled Spike moving his lips to her ear. "Because I am have rather naughty thoughts right now that would be highly inappropriate if you didn't." Spike began nibbling on her earlobe evoking a ticklish giggle from her.

"Save those for later, it's time to eat," she giggled pushing him away so she could get dinner on the plates. Spike grinned widely, wiggling his eyebrows as he departed the kitchen to set the table.

They enjoyed a nice simple dinner of grilled chicken and rice and shared stories of their days. Anisa told him about a new case she and Ryan had been assigned. They were looking into a series of home invasions that had led to brutal assaults and even a murder. At the moment they had few leads, so she and Ryan were investigating it now. Spike told her about the abduction call that Team One had responded to. When she heard about the grandmother's involvement and her psychological impairment, Anisa grimaced. The thought of someone you love slipping away and losing their grip on reality was heart wrenching. Spike saw the look of anguish in her eyes, he enclosed her hand in his. It never ceased to amaze him how she could be so tough and strong and yet so sensitive and emotional. Anisa was a little embarrassed that he had seen her get emotional about the story.

Quickly changing the subject, she said, "By the way, Ryan and I have been called in to support some kind of city-wide sting operation by Guns and Gangs on Wednesday night ..er.. Thursday morning. You guys involved?"

"Yeah. I just heard about it today. I guess we will be briefed on the specifics on Thursday," answered Spike. "All SRU teams are on call, as are all Guns & Gangs teams that are not under cover. I didn't know they were reaching out to other teams on the force."

"I don't know about other teams. Duncan just called Ryan and me into his office and told us that we were to support the raid. I guess we will find out on Wednesday... I mean Thursday." She rose to clear the dishes and Spike followed.

"You are spending the night at your parents' house tomorrow, aren't you?" she stated more than asked.

"Are you trying to get rid of me, because that was not very subtle," said Spike acting hurt.

"I am not trying to get rid of you, but I am trying to keep the peace at home. As you said, 'the Italian mother rules the home'," she replied. "And I am sure that your mother would like you home at least one night a week. Besides I wouldn't want her to get the wrong impression of me...letting you sleep here every night. I wouldn't want her to think I am a hussy."

Spike broke out into loud laughter. "A hussy? You? That is funny!" Anisa smacked him in the chest jokingly and turned to walk out of the room. Spike grabbed her around the waist and drew her to him kissing her cheek. "You know I am just teasing you. You are an incredible hussy." He nibbled up her cheek to her ear.

Giggling, she pushed herself away from him and muttered, "You are incorrigible!" She left the kitchen and took a seat on the couch turning the television on. Spike skulked into the living room with his hands in his pockets. He sat down next to Anisa who kept her eyes on the television. He snuggled up against her and rested his head on her shoulder... gazing up at her with his big brown eyes. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. When he added a brief whimper to his puppy dog eyes, she gave in and started cracking up. "It's not fair … you have those...eyes. You know I can't resist them."

"Hey a guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do," he offered innocently. Placing his hand under her chin and turning it to face him, he kissed her deeply. "Besides, there is nothing about you that I can resist." He kissed her again and she responded by running her hand up his neck and through his hair. As they separated, he breathed into her ear, "I love you."

"I know," she smiled. "But I still think you should go home tomorrow."

"OK, OK. I'll go home tomorrow...See I told you I can't resist you." He sat down and snuggled against her wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "Trust me, my mother does not think you are a hussy. She was the one who told me to come over here and stay with you."

"If you say so," she said, hoping he was right.

* * *

She was walking down a tree-lined street feeling anxious. There was a young boy in front of her whose shoulders were sagging as he dragged his book bag behind him. Kids on either side of the street hurled insults at the boy and then began throwing things at him. Anisa tried to run up to the boy to protect him, but no matter how fast she ran, she couldn't reach him. She tried to stop the other children from mistreating the him but they ignored her pleas, as if they didn't hear her. Finally the boy turned around in her direction, but she didn't recognize him. His face was peculiar in that it was not real, it was almost like a drawing. There were large circles where his eyes should have been. Again Anisa tried to reach the boy, but was unable to. The boy smiled at her and then she saw them... the unmistakable dimples. Her eyes flew open at the realization that the boy in her dream was supposed to be Spike as a child.

Anisa blinked in the darkness reaching out and touching his side. Still asleep, Spike wrapped his arm around her drawing her closer to him. Anisa slid her arm around him and rested her head on his bare chest. She inhaled deeply and was settled by his natural scent. She closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep.

Spike woke and felt the weight of her head on his chest. Peeking at the clock he saw he had another 45 minutes before he had to get up. Settling back into his pillow, Spike smiled to himself aimlessly stroking her arm and listening to her breathe. He was thinking about how lucky he was and that a few years ago he would never had thought that he could be so happy...he never thought would be lying here with the love of his life. It wasn't long before he noticed a change in her breathing pattern. She wrapped her arms around him more tightly causing him to pull her closer still. As Spike snuggled her against his side, he saw her eyes flutter open.

Anisa blinked the sleep out of her eyes and took in her surroundings. She realized that she was using Spike as a pillow and she assumed he was still asleep. Her dream came back to her in pieces. It was hard to imagine that small skinny, bookish little boy was supposed to be Spike. She let her hand gently travel across his chiseled chest and then down his muscled abdomen. She loved his body, the way it felt, the way its strength made her feel safe. She wondered if she would have fallen in love with him if he had still been that skinny boy. Thinking back to when she first realized that she was falling in love with him, she remembered she had never seen his body. It had been his intelligence and sense of humor that had attracted her to him...and his emotional sensitivity that had really sealed the deal for her. The hot body was a bonus and that made her smile.

As her hand drifted down to the muscles of his abdomen, Spike let out a sound that was a cross between a groan and a giggle. She lifted her head to look into his eyes.

"Mornin'," he smiled to her.

She kissed his chest and responded, "Morning."

He lifted her up to his lips and kissed her deeply as she reached her arms around his neck.

"Mmmm... I like waking up like this," she said breathlessly.

"Me too," he drew her close again kissing her with relentless passion.

* * *

Spike drove back home after shift the next day. As he turned the knob on door to the kitchen he felt a strange sensation … on one hand it was the only home in which he had ever lived, but on the other hand it didn't feel exactly like home anymore. It was almost like he felt more at home at Anisa's apartment.

"Hi. Mikey," said Michelina Scarlatti enthusiastically. She was working in the kitchen preparing dinner.

"Hi, Ma," answered Spike as he walked over and kissed his mother on the cheek. "Need any help?" he asked trying to sneak a taste of the sauce as his mother swatted his hand away with a smile.

"Go set the table..make yourself useful," she said with a chuckle.

"Should I set it for all of us? Do you think dad is going to want to eat...since I'm here?"

"Yes, Mikey. Set it for 3."

Spike finished setting the table and looked up to see his father standing in the doorway.

"Hi, Pa," Spike with cheerful apprehension. His father nodded at him in acknowledgment as Mrs Scarlatti entered the dining room with dinner. Most of the dinner passed quietly when finally Spike's mom asked Spike how Anisa enjoyed the family dinner.

"She had a great time. She loved playing with the boys. And she managed to get Cici talking and laughing."

Michelina was smiling, "Yes, she managed to bring Cici out of her shell a bit." Spike glanced at his father and thought he saw a little smile cross his face. "Maria, liked her, too," continued Spike's mother.

"She will come for dinner on Sunday, right?" asked Spike's dad, in a tone that was more a statement than a question. "You should come early, Juventus is playing Napoli."

This was the most Spike's father had said to him in months and Spike was nearly dumbfounded. "OK, we will try to get here in time for the game." He paused a moment before continuing, "So, what did you think, Dad? Did you like Anisa?" Spike anxiously twisted a piece of bread in his hand ripping a small piece off and putting it in his mouth.

After a moment of thought the elder Scarlatti looked his son in the eyes, something he had not done since the night Lou died. Nodding his head, he said, "She is a good girl and she loves you." He glanced away from his son blinking away the tears that were threatening his eyes. "But we need to get her to cheer for Juventus," he finished as he rose to leave the table.

Spike looked at his mom and then got a big smile on his face as his mother picked up some dishes to carry to the kitchen. She planted a kiss on the top of his head.

That night, Spike dreamed about a young boy with wavy brown hair. The boy turned to face him and smiled revealing small dimples. As the child toddled toward him, Spike noticed the sunlight reflecting red highlights in the child's hair. The boy extended his arms to Spike as if he wanted to be picked up. Spike's eyes flew open and he sat up rubbing his forehead. "_Holy cow! Did he just dream about his own son?"_ He got out of bed and got a glass of water. Laying back down in the bed he glanced at the clock and saw that it was 3:16 AM. He tried to fall back to sleep but he kept thinking about the dream. He had never had a dream like that. His dreams had always be about events in the past, never about the future. He was intrigued, but also a little scared...maybe a lot scared. He had always wanted a family in an abstract way, but he had never really thought specifically about a child. He wanted to talk to Anisa, but it was the middle of the night. Staring at the ceiling he mindlessly played with his phone. He decided that he would send her a text message...it would make him feel better and maybe allow him to sleep. _**"Hey, I love you. Just thought you should know :)"**_ Almost immediately he received a reply.

"_**:)I know...love you, too. I can't sleep either."**_

Spike smiled to himself as he dialed the phone.

A sleepy voice answered,"Hey you."

"Hey you. Why were you up in the middle of the night?" asked Spike.

"I had a dream, but couldn't go back to sleep. What about you?"

"Ha ha...me too," Spike answered not sure if he should tell her about his dream. "What was your dream about?"

"You know, same old - same old...There was someone I cared about who was in trouble and I couldn't do enough to help. It is the same old theme just different people," she said trying to play if off as unimportant. "The weird thing was, I couldn't figure out who it was I was trying to help. It wasn't you, and it wasn't Sean, but it was a man. Anyway between the guilt and frustration I haven't been able to go back to sleep. What about you?"

"The dream was no big deal. It wasn't scary, but I ...I just couldn't go back to sleep," said Spike not wanting share the details of the dream yet. "I don't know, I guess that I just have a hard time falling asleep... alone..." he added almost in a mumble "...without you." Anisa smiled on her side of the line because she was feeling the same way.

"Well you better try to get some sleep," said Anisa knowing that they both had to get up for work the next day.

"I guess you are right. I will see you tomorrow after work?" asked Spike.

"Yep. What time will you be off shift?"

"Probably early since we all have to report work at 4:00AM the following morning."

"OK, Talk to you tomorrow."

"Love you," said Spike not really wanting to hang up.

Smiling, Anisa responded, "Love you, too."

* * *

It was 5:30 PM and Anisa was driving home feeling exhausted. She thought about what she had in her refrigerator to make for dinner. She hadn't come up with a plan and hoped an idea would materialize when she reviewed the contents in her kitchen. As she approached her door, she caught a faint whiff of garlic. She turned the key in the lock and opened the door. Spike greeted her with a smile on his face and a glass of wine in his hand. Anisa grinned from ear to ear.

"Hey you," she said kissing him sweetly on the lips.

"Hey you," said Spike handing her the glass of wine.

Anisa put down her bag and inhaled the aroma of garlic. She reached up and touched his cheek asking, "Is that dinner I smell?"

Spike wrapped his arms around her waist saying, "Yep, I hope you are hungry."

Anisa stood on her tiptoes and brought her lips to his. Then nibbling on his lower lip, she said, "I'm starved."

Chuckling, Spike released her and said, "Dinner will be ready in about 5 minutes." Spike made a delicious dinner of pork chops, wild rice and vegetables.

Anisa ate voraciously while they talked about their days. When she had finished she took a sip of wine and said, "That was wonderful."

* * *

They went to bed early since they had to rise at 3:00 to get work for by 4:00. Spike gently stroked her arm as she rested her head on his chest. It felt natural to both of them.

Anisa broke the contented silence with, "How was dinner with your folks?"Anisa propped herself up on her elbows so she could look at him as he talked about it.

Spike couldn't suppress the smile as he answered, "It was really good. My dad actually ate with us and didn't leave the room." Anisa grinned as Spike continued, "But the best part was that he actually talked to me."

She leaned in and kissed him with warmth and affection, "I told you he loves you."

"Well, I have you to thank for that," said Spike as Anisa cocked her head to the side quizzically. "We were talking about you."

"Oh? What did he say? Does he like me?"

"He said that you were 'a good girl and that you loved me'."

"You already knew that I loved you. Do you think he liked me?"

"He wants you to come early to dinner on Sunday to catch the Juventus – Napoli game...He doesn't just invite anyone to watch Juventus. That is his way of saying he likes you." Anisa beamed as Spike wrapped both of his arms around her and pulled her into a long passionate kiss. By the time the kiss had ended, Spike had flipped her over so that she was beneath him. Huskily he said, "I missed you last night."

* * *

Spike and Anisa rose at 3:00AM and groggily showered. They rode together to work since they were working on the same operation today. Spike pulled into a spot and parked the car, but before he got out he took Anisa's hand and squeezed it. She turned to look at him as the adrenaline began to flow through her body as she mentally geared up for the raid.

Touching her chin and pulling her lips to his he kissed her deeply. "I love you...keep safe tonight, OK?"

She smiled at him and pulled his face to hers for another kiss. "I will and I love you too." They got out of the car and headed into the barn. Although it was no secret that they were dating, neither wanted to make a big show of it especially at work. Spike opened the door for her and she reached up on her tiptoes to whisper in his, "You stay safe too, OK?"

Giving her a peck on the cheek, he said, "Will do." When they entered the building, Spike headed for the locker room to gear up and Anisa went to check in and find her partner Ryan.

Detective Warren Naismith briefed the large group on the operation. Everyone synchronized their watches so they all made the entries at the exact same time. After the meeting Greg pulled Warren aside questioning the wisdom of not having Team One going after the big fish in this raid. He asked, **"I'm just saying maybe you'd want the city's top tactical team to handle the most complex arrest?"**

"**Greg, after what this case has cost me, I want to be the one to slap the handcuffs on Hudson tonight."** Naismith responded. "Besides, I will have two other officers with me that were selected for this operation."

"Who are they?" Greg know most of the officers that were assigned to the raid.

"Ryan Lambert and Anisa McConnell. You know them?"

Greg nodded his head in assurance, "Yeah. They are good tacticians and skilled with weapons. That was good choice. Good luck."

"Thanks, you too." They all headed to their vehicles.

0000

Team One arrived at the designated location and Ed began giving tactical orders. **"Wordy, you are gonna be eyes up front and if you see the subject do not engage."**

"**Do not engage?"** asked Wordy confused.

"**Do not engage...search and cover only,"** repeated Ed. **"And I'm gonna need your gun."**

Greg pulled Ed aside and began objecting to Ed's demmand for Wordy's gun. Meanwhile the team looked on confused about what was going on. Suddenly there was movement in the house and the subject was on the move. Wordy conceded and gave his gun to Ed so that the team could move forward.

Spike got into the driver's seat of the truck with Wordy. He couldn't imagine what was going on between Wordy and Ed. Ed had never behaved that way. All he knew was that his teammate was distraught.

"**Wordy, you don't want me asking do you?**" asked Spike. Wordy just looked in his direction and didn't say anything.

"**OK, I think I'm not asking but I'm here OK. Just saying**."

Wordy was glad it was Spike in the truck with him, ** "Thanks, Spike."**

The team pulled up in front of house in a neighborhood. Spike identified it as a potential meth lab so extra caution was to be used as they prepared to make the raid. Meanwhile Naismith was counting the teams down.

"**Team One, status,"** asked Naismith.

Again Ed was barking out assignments to his teammates. **"Wordy, you wake and evacuate the neighborhood."**

"**Are you serious? Eddie breach and hand-to-hand is what I do. You already got my weapon,"** protested Wordy again.

Naismith asked demanded again, **"Team One, status?"**

"**Wordy are you with me or am I going to have to put you on the bench?"**

"**I'll do the evac..." **Wordy said reluctantly.

"**Team One ready for entry"** announced Ed.

Naismith counted down, "**5,4,3,2,1**"

The team entered the home, and arrested several subjects and managed to flush the main subject out and he was subsequently tackled by Wordy.

"**Subject in custody,"** announced Wordy.

Greg wanted to know what was going on with Naismith because he had heard shots fired, "**Naismith, what's your status?**"

"**We've been ambushed... we've got an officer down!**"

Spike's head snapped up in panic...his fear for Anisa's safety began to take control of his mind. He looked to Greg for direction or guidance. Greg just looked at him empathetically.

* * *

**A/N: **So I hoped you liked it and stay tuned for more action in the next chapter, which I hope will be updated sooner.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: **This chapter has a little action and some angst. This is an A/U story so I hope you don't mind and I hope you enjoy.

**Warning: **more spoilers from** The Better Man.**

"_Phrases in quotes and italics_" are thoughts.

"_**Phrases in quotes, italics and bold"**_ are text messages.

"**Phrases in quotes and bold**" are directly from the episode.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Flashpoint related except some DVDs.

* * *

**Knowing Where You Need to Be**

**Chapter 9**

Previously:

Greg wanted to know what was going on with Naismith because he had heard shots fired, "**Naismith, what's your status?**"

"**We've been ambushed... we've got an officer down!**"

Spike's head snapped up in panic...his fear for Anisa's safety began to take control of his mind. He looked to Greg for direction or guidance. Greg just looked at him empathetically.

* * *

Anisa and Ryan rode with Naismith and were briefed on his tactical plan for their part of the raid. She had taken a sniper rifle in addition to her hand gun in case it was needed. Naismith's plan was simple. The place was supposed to have the subject, his girlfriend and very limited staff on the premises at that hour. He wanted Anisa to find a sniper perch in case the subject managed to sneak out while they were inside. She would be able to shoot out the tires on the vehicle slowing it down long enough for Naismith to apprehend him. She wasn't sure that was the best plan of attack, but this was his operation and it was not up to her to question him now.

When they arrived at the location, she spotted a nearby rooftop and decided to use that. She climbed to the top of the roof and set up the rifle and informed him that all was a go. She heard him start the count down and take role call of all the other teams. All teams checked in except Team One. He had to ask twice before he got a ready status from them. That was unusual she thought, but she couldn't dwell on that, she had to focus on her job at this moment.

Naismith called for a "go" and that was when all hell broke loose. Naismith and Lambert approached the building, but they didn't get far before two men exited the building and opened fire on them with automatic guns pushing them back. Before Anisa knew what was happening more gunfire erupted from an upper window. Naismith took cover behind his car before he realized that Lambert had been hit.

"Shit!" shouted Anisa as she lined up her shot. _POP_ one subject down. She reloaded. _POP_ second subject down. She reloaded and took aim at the window. It took her a minute to get a clear shot then, _POP_ third subject down.

When Spike heard her expletive he finally exhaled with relief that she was unharmed.

"Hang on Naismith. I'm coming down." It was then that she realized that he had be screaming "officer down" into the headset. She had been in 'the zone' while she was taking her shots and did not realize that he had been talking to Greg Parker on the headset. She packed up the rifle in seconds and flew down to ground level. In 90 seconds she was by Naismith's side. Anisa saw Ryan's body lying on the ground about 25 yards in front of the car they were hiding behind. She heard Greg say they were on their way and Ed tell them to stay behind the engine block. She knew she had to get her partner to safety. Making her way to the front of the car, she assessed the situation and devised her strategy.

"Naismith, I am going to get my partner. You cover me. Copy?"

Ed's booming voice came over the headsets, "THAT IS A NEGATIVE, MCCONNELL. We are minutes away. Wait for SRU."

Anisa was not about to let her partner bleed to death and she knew she could get him to safety even if Ed didn't. "Ed, I am not taking a chance that you won't get here in time. Have EMS on route and he will be out of harms way when you get here. NOT ARGUING THIS WITH YOU." With that, she counted down with her fingers to Naismith. After she got to "1" she sprinted to Lambert and managed to roll him on top of her. She ran as quickly as she could in a crouch and carrying his weight. She was back behind the car in 60 seconds assessing his injuries. One bullet went into the vest, but another had lodged itself in his upper chest near his shoulder. This wound was bleeding profusely and he was no longer conscious.

"I need a cloth – a hanky or something. Do you have anything like that?" she asked Naismith. He was panicking and unable to think straight. "Hey, Naismith! Listen to me... do you have some thing I can stop the bleeding with?" Naismith's just shook his head looking dazed. Anisa placed her knee on Ryan's wound to maintain pressure. She removed her Kevlar vest and then her shirt (she was momentarily thankful that she had worn a sports bra that day) and then put the vest back on. She balled up her shirt and placed it over the would and continued applying pressure to it. She checked his pulse – it was steady, but weak.

"What is the ETA on EMS?" she asked calmly.

"Minutes away," came Winnie's voice over the headset. "Hang in there detective."

"Copy that," Anisa responded. Then talking to her partner, "C'mon, Ryan hang in there. You're gonna be OK. And then you owe me a new shirt...just saying." She continued to chatter to him in case he could hear her and, also in part, to keep her self calm and focused.

Soon she heard vehicles pulling up and saw the black SUVs of the SRU and behind them the red lights of the ambulance. Sam,Wordy and Spike exited their vehicles, grabbed some shields and ran to the car behind which Anisa, Naismith and Ryan were positioned. Spike saw Anisa working efficiently to save her partner's life.

When they reached their hiding place behind the car, Spike looked Anisa in the eye. His gaze asked the question "Are you OK." She nodded in understanding and indicating that she was fine. Wordy bent to help her lift Ryan and they carried him to the ambulance behind the cover of the shields held by Spike and Sam. They laid Ryan on the waiting gurney and Anisa told them what she had determined his status to be. Anisa stepped back to allow the paramedics to do their jobs.

Jules appeared out of nowhere and handed Anisa a shirt asking, "You OK?"

Taking the shirt she said, "Thanks. I'm good."

It took every ounce of control that Spike had to remain professional as he looked at her covered in blood. Before Spike could say anything, Ed joined his team and his piercing blue eyes narrowed on Anisa.

"McConnell...you disobeyed a direct order!" barked Ed angrily.

Calmly, but assertively Anisa, replied "I do not report to you. My partner's life was at risk and I took action. I would do it again to help any fellow officer, as I think you or anyone on your team would. If you feel compelled, feel free to take it up with my supervisor and we will follow normal disciplinary protocol." Ed glared at her then walked away. His team followed behind.

Spike lingered a moment, "You going to the hospital?" She nodded and for the first time he could see a twinge of emotion behind her stoic facade. "OK update me when you can."

Nodding she said, "Keep safe." Spike nodded back as he saw her climb into the ambulance.

Team One assessed the situation and determined that there were probably two or three gunmen left in the house and that Hudson had escaped. Ed looked at Wordy and handed him a gun as they prepared to enter. Once inside, they apprehended 2 subjects and scoured the house for clues. The team heard a ringing sound and found a throw-away phone. Wordy answered it and heard Naismith's voice, who hung-up immediately. The team regrouped to try to put all of the pieces together. They surmised that Naismith had been trying to reach out to Hudson's girlfriend because they had been involved. They also determined that he had decided to take on Hudson himself and rescue the girlfriend. Now it was up to Team One to find Naismith because he would lead them to Hudson.

After a very stressful showdown on a bridge, Team One managed to get the situation under control and Hudson into custody. They headed back to the barn for the debrief.

* * *

Anisa put on the shirt that Jules had given her as she rode to the hospital in the ambulance. When they arrived at the hospital Anisa listened to the doctor's initial assessment. While they took Ryan to x-ray, Anisa pulled out her phone and dialed his wife. As it rung, she reminded herself that she had to remain unemotional and strong. She had to separate herself from the personal relationship.

"Hello."

"Hello, Mel," said Anisa calmly.

"Oh no... what happened?" asked Melanie.

Taking a deep breath, Anisa answered, "Ryan has been hit. He is in x-ray now and will probably need surgery. You need to come to the hospital."

"Is he OK? 'Nis, tell me he is going to be OK!"

"I can tell you his heartbeat is steady, but he has lost a lot of blood. That is all I know now," she responded soberly.

"I'm on my way. Call if there is a change."

"I will."

Next Anisa dialed her sergeant to inform him of her partner's condition. As she was talking to Sgt. Duncan, she noticed the looks she was getting from others in the waiting room. Glancing at her hand, she noticed a smear of blood on it. As she hung up with Duncan, she entered the bathroom. Seeing her reflection in the mirror, she realized that she had blood all over her hands and up her arms. There was blood on her face,her shoulder and even some in her hair. She must have looked a frightening sight...she really needed a shower. She spent the next five minutes cleaning herself up and trying to maintain her composure, but she kept going through the events in her head.

"_She hadn't been looking for an ambush and hadn't seen them coming. It was her job to protect her partner, but she had been nowhere near him. She should have been at ground level by his side. She had let him down. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if anything happened to him. He had a wife and three kids...They relied on her to keep him safe and now he was in the hospital with a bullet in his chest. She had let his family down, too. Drying her hands, she took a deep breath and put her game face back on._"

She was standing in the corner of the waiting room looking out the window when Mel came through the doors with her three children in tow, her face awash with controlled anxiety. Anisa took control of the situation by crossing the distance between them. She picked up 3 year old Timmy, kissed him and led the two older children to a part of the waiting room where there was a television. Putting him down, she turned to Mina, the 9 year old and said, "You guys hang out here for a few minutes while I talk to your mom." Mina nodded knowing that something serious was going on so she took charge of her brothers.

Mel looked at Anisa as she came back. "How is he?"

"I am not sure, they are assessing his condition now. The vest stopped one shot, the other hit him here," responded Anisa clinically, pointing to spot near her right shoulder. She looked at Melanie's face as the extent of her husband's injuries registered.

Before anymore could be said, a nurse approached them and asked, "Family for Ryan Lambert?"

In a weak voice Melanie answered, "I am his wife."

The nurse continued, "Your husband sustained a gunshot wound to the upper chest. It missed all major organs, but is lodged near his shoulder cavity. Surgery is required to remove the bullet. He is on his way to the OR as we speak." The nurse finished speaking and looked a the taller woman, looking for an indication that she understood what had been explained to her.

"Is he stable?" asked Mel.

"Yes."

"How long will the operation be?"

"If all goes as planned, it should only be about 1-2 hours," answered the nurse.

"Pleadingly," Melanie asked, "is he going to be alright?"

The nurse smiled at Mel, "I can't promise anything, but he is healthy and strong. It looks like it should be a simple removal. Barring anything unexpected, he should make a full recovery."

Anisa saw a breath of tension release from Mel's shoulders. As the nurse left, Melanie turned to Anisa and pinching her nose asked, "What happened?"

Taking a deep breath, Anisa told her the story. "We arrived at our designated location and I went to a rooftop as a sniper perch. Ryan and the other officer were approaching the house when they were ambushed by men with assault rifles." Anisa couldn't look her in the eye as she continued, "By the time it registered what had happened he had been hit. I took down the three subjects and then came down to get him to safety."

"You were on a rooftop?" Mel asked in disbelief.

Anisa nodded her head stoicly. "Mel, I'm sorry. I should have been by his side." Melanie said nothing. "I should have stopped them." Pausing in the silence, Anisa put her head in her hands then muttered, "It should have been me."

"What?!" demanded Melanie.

Anisa's head snapped up and she looked Melanie in the eye. Sternly she said, "It should have been me. I don't have anybody depending on me. I wish it had been me." She had a feeling of being overcome by the guilt...of seeing someone she cared about hurt and not being able to do anything about it.

Mel's look became hard as she drew her hand back and slapped Anisa across the cheek. "This is not about YOU! Damn it! It is part of the job. Deal with it!" Melanie spat angrily and walked away to find her children. The slap was not hard and not really meant to cause pain, but rather the meant to jolt someone out of daze.

Anisa knew she was right but she couldn't help the guilt that overtook her. Slowly she followed behind her friend. She stood behind Melanie as she explained to the kids that their father had been hurt at work, but that the doctors were fixing him and that he was going to be OK. Now that the anger had dissipated she stood and turned to Anisa with a softer expression. She wrapped the smaller woman in a hug.

"I'm sorry. I love you, you know," Mel said softly. Hugging her friend back, Anisa nodded. "You OK?"

Releasing her friend, Anisa smiled, "It didn't even hurt. I'm tough, I can take it. Thanks."

"You look like crap. Why don't you take the kids and get something to eat," said Melanie. Smiling, Anisa nodded as Sergeant Duncan entered the waiting room and approached the two women. Anisa snatched up the children and headed to the cafeteria.

* * *

Spike was riding with Ed when his phone buzzed. He looked at the message:

"_**Ryan is in surgery. You OK?"**_

"_**Yeah. Hudson in custody. Keep me posted." **_Spike typed back.

Ed saw Spike reading the message then typing on his phone. He knew it was Anisa and was still pissed that she had defied him. "She disobeyed a direct order," he said sternly.

Spike nodded his head and then responded, "True, but she wasn't wrong. I probably would have done the same thing if it had been one of you guys out there."

Ed turned his steely gaze on Spike. "Are you saying I was wrong?"

"No. I'm saying that we make split second decisions all the time and that her decision was well calculated. She is not a rookie and has significant field experience. If she didn't think she could get him to safety she wouldn't have tried." Spike looked straight ahead. He knew Ed was fuming, so Spike thought he would let him calm down a little before continuing. To appease him a bit, Spike added, "Ed, tactically you were right. Our team is better suited to handling those types of situations." Spike glanced at his team leader and thought he saw smoke coming from his ears, figuratively speaking. "I am also saying that you are TL and if you think she was wrong then you do what you need to do." They rode the rest of the way in silence. Ed parked the truck and Spike turned to him and said, "Ed, we good?"

Ed looked at his teammate and gave him a crooked grin. "Yeah, we're good." He turned and got out of the vehicle throwing his arm around the younger man as they entered the building. "Thanks, buddy."

Spike had no idea what Ed was thanking him for, but he seemed to be less angry, so he just said, "Sure."

The team approached Winnie's desk and was informed that the operation had been a huge success and that there had been a record number of arrests made.

Winnie then announced, "Detective Lambert is in surgery, but they think he should be OK. I'll keep you posted." The team thanked her for the update and then Wordy asked to talk to them. Jules suggested the locker room.

They all gathered around and gave Wordy their full attention. He spoke emotionally yet with a gentle tone as he explained to the team that he had Parkinson's disease and would be leaving the team. Spike felt as though he had been kicked in the stomach. He couldn't believe Wordy had Parkinson's. He felt like he was losing more than a friend, like he was losing a big brother. At the conclusion of the announcement, the team as a group offered their love and support. They exited the locker room together, but soon broke apart. Ed and Wordy walked out together, as did Sam and Jules.

Spike was still in shock and lagged behind. He had his bag slung over his shoulder as he walked, zombie-like, to his car. This is one of those times when he really missed Lou. He was so deep in thought he hadn't heard the footsteps behind him. He was jarred from his thoughts by a hand slapping on his shoulder.

"Hey, buddy." Spike turned to see Greg's warm face looking at him with a hint of a smile. "You OK? You must have been deep in thought. I've been calling your name."

"Oh, sorry, Boss. I guess I was somewhere else..." he offered with a smile.

"How are doing? Tough day, huh?"

"Yeah... I'm good. But wow, I can't believe Wordy has Parkinson's. He's always been such a... rock, for the team... for his family." Spike paused looking to the face of his sergeant who was one of the best listeners around. "I guess I gotta let it sink in a bit before I can figure out what I can do to help."

Greg smiled at the young Italian. "Spike, there is nothing you can do. Just be his friend."

"I know, Boss, but I gotta do some research on this disease. I don't know much about it. Maybe there is something I can do to make his life easier as it progresses, but I gotta learn about it first."

Greg shook his head with a grin. It was so like Spike to try to fix the problem. "OK... well there is nothing you can do today. Are you heading home?" Spike hadn't really thought about where he was going. "Why don't we grab a coffee, huh?"

"OK... do you mind if I make a call first?" asked Spike.

"Sure, I'll meet you there."

Spike got in the car and checked his phone for messages but there were none. He decided to call Anisa.

She picked up on the second ring... "Hi."

"Hey. How is it going?" Spike asked. He thought he heard kids in the background.

"OK, I guess. He should be out of surgery soon. I'm with Mina and the boys. Did everything go OK?"

Spike let out a loud exhale, "Yeah, I guess. Tell you about it later. I'm gonna grab a coffee with the boss, then I will head to the hospital, OK?"

"Mike, you don't have to. You can go home and get some rest."

Spike decided to not respond to that and simply said, "I'll talk to you soon. Call me if there is a change."

"OK."

* * *

Spike approached the table at which Greg was seated. He had already ordered them coffee.

"Thanks, Boss," said Spike as he slid into the booth and poured some cream in to his coffee.

"So, Spike, it has been a while since we have chatted. How are things?"

"Things are good... until today and Wordy."

"Things with Anisa are good?"

Spike couldn't help but smile, "Yeah. Really good." Greg noticed the relaxed tone in his voice as he spoke of her.

"How is your dad?"

Sitting back in his seat, Spike responded, "The same. He is not going to get better." Greg nodded. Spike offered a hint of a smile, "But, he actually had dinner with me and spoke to me the other night, so I have to say things are looking up between us."

That elevated Greg's mood somewhat. It warmed his heart to hear that Spike and his dad were talking again. The bond between a father and son is very special. He knows what it is like to be estranged from his son and he hated the feeling. "That is great, Spike, really. What do you think brought the change on?"

"I don't really know, but if I had to guess... it might have been Anisa. He seemed to like her and it was after he met her that he talked to me," Spike explained.

Greg smiled at the young man sitting across from him. "Glad to hear it." The waitress came to the table and asked if they wanted anything to eat. Spike realized that he was very hungry.

"Can I have some eggs and toast, please?" he asked politely.

"Sure, sweetie," said the waitress flirtatiously.

Greg grinned at the fact that Spike had no idea that she was flirting with him. "I'll have the same."

"Coming right up!" She said winking at Spike, but he had glanced out the window without noticing. Greg chuckled at his oblivious techie.

Their meals came and the two men shared a relaxed conversation. As the waitress returned to remove their dishes, Spike ordered some donuts 'to go'.

"Going to the hospital?" asked Greg.

"Yeah. I'm going to check on Lambert and bring these for his kids. Anisa needs a ride home...and knowing her, she is wearing a lot of guilt about this right now, so I thought maybe I could help."

Greg looked at him with a mildly surprised look on his face. "Hmm, that is pretty intuitive of you, Spike."

Spike shrugged his head to the side and said, "I have my moments. Besides, I am really not as oblivious when it comes to women as everybody seems to think I am." Spike raised his eyebrows at the Sarge and gave him a knowing stare. After the waitress returned with the box of donuts, a wicked grin crossed Spike's lips as he looked at Greg. Pulling some money from his pocket, he put on the table and said, "Thanks for the talk, Boss. I'm gonna get going."

"See ya, Spike," said Greg with a smile. He had the feeling that Spike may have known the waitress was flirting with him the whole time.

* * *

When Spike entered the hospital, he saw a little boy on Anisa's lap, a young girl sitting next to her and a third child on Anisa's other side. He saw Ryan's wife, Mel, sitting next to the girl.

"Hey, there is Spike!" shouted the boy next to Anisa as he jumped up to greet Spike. Little Timmy climbed down from Anisa's lap. Anisa felt an air of calmness come over her when she saw Spike and she stood to greet him as well.

"Hi guys!" said Spike as he squatted down to be at their level. The boys each gave him a high five.

Jack said, "I'm glad you're here. I can't get past level 4." He lifted his handheld game to show Spike what he was talking about.

Spike nodded and said, "We'll have to see what we can do about that." Spike offered the boy a big grin as he stood up ruffling his hair.

Anisa reached him and wished she could melt into his arms, but this was not the place. Instead she gently touched his arm and said, "Hey, you didn't have to come." He kissed her cheek chastely and she added, "But I'm glad you did."

Mina's bright face came up behind her, "Hi, Spike! Nice to see you again."

"Thank you, Mina. It is very nice to see you again, too," Spike responded offering a broad dimple-revealing grin.

"Hi, Spike, thanks for coming," said Melanie offering him a gentle hug.

"Hi, Mel. How's it going?"

"OK, I guess." noticing the bag in his hand, Mel asked, "What ya got there?"

"Oh, yeah," answered Spike, "I brought some doughnuts for kids. If that is OK with you."

She smiled and nodded saying, "Sure."

Spike handed the bag to Mina who led her brothers over to a table and began divvying them out. The adults stepped away from the kids slightly to discuss Ryan's condition. Spike learned that they hadn't heard anything yet, but that he should be out of surgery any time now. As if on cue, the double doors at the end of the hall swung open and a surgeon emerged making a beeline for the three adults.

"Lambert?" he asked the group.

"Yes, I'm Melanie, his wife."

"Hello, I am Dr. Jensen. I performed the procedure to remove the bullet from your husband's shoulder. He is doing very well. The bullet missed all major organs. It grazed an artery and he lost a great deal of blood. He is very lucky...if he hadn't received treatment when he did we might be facing very different results." He glanced at Spike and asked, "Were you first on the scene?"

Before Spike could answer, Anisa interjected, "No, I was. I am his partner."

The doctor turned his attention to her, feeling a little embarrassed about his somewhat sexist assumption, "Oh, sorry about that. I just wanted you to know that the aid you provided to him in the field had a big impact on his recovery. Well done."

Anisa just nodded and quietly asked, "So he is going to be OK?"

"It looks that way. He is resting now. You can go back and see him in about an hour." The doctor informed them as he turned to leave.

The group sat down and ate some doughnuts, waiting for the chance to see Ryan. A little less than an hour later, a nurse came up to Mel and told her that they could visit with him for a few minutes two at a time. Mel took Timmy in with her and visited for a few minutes. Spike took Jack in with him and Anisa took Mina in with her. Ryan was groggy and very sedated, but he smiled at his visitors as the came in.

Spike and Anisa volunteered to take kids back to the Lambert's house so Mel could stay with Ryan for a few hours. Mel declined, saying that Ryan needed to sleep and that she needed to be home with the kids. Anisa and Spike drove home in comfortable silence, both were emotionally and physically exhausted.

When they arrived at Anisa's apartment, they put down their bags and drew each other into an long embrace. They relished the warmth and strength they gained from each other. Spike knew how she felt. She almost lost her partner and best friend. She was feeling guilty... that it was her fault...that it should have been her. He remembered feeling that way when Lou had died.

After what may have been one minute or ten, Spike bent down and placed a soft kiss on Anisa's lips and asked, "You OK?" He looked deeply into her eyes assessing her expression.

"I'm getting there," she answered honestly. She reached her hand and gently stroked his cheek. "How about you?"

"The same," he responded pulling her close and burying his face in her hair. "I'm getting there."

They parted and Anisa led him to the couch where he took a seat. She sat on the table facing him and looked into his eyes. She knew that something traumatic had happened, she could tell by his demeanor. Placing her hands on his thighs, she said, "Tell me what happened."

For a brief second he considered deflecting the question, but knew she would not let him slide. "Wordy is leaving the team. He has Parkinson's."

"Oh, Mike. I'm sorry." She took his face in her hands and gently kissed him. She didn't know what else to do or say. Anisa knew how much he looked up to Wordy. "What's he going to do?"

"He isn't sure, yet. Maybe work for Guns & Gangs. He's on medication, so his symptoms are at bay for the time being. I just can't believe it, you know. He's married and got three kids. It's just not fair..it's not right."

Anisa slid onto the couch next to him. "I know. This life isn't fair."

Spike put his legs on the couch and reclined. Anisa shifted so she was laying next to him. They hadn't realized how tired they were. In no time the two of them fell asleep from sheer exhaustion. When Anisa woke, she stretched glancing at her hands noticing dried blood and remembered that she hadn't showered yet. She carefully disentangled herself from Spike and made her way to the shower. She let the hot water pour over her to wash away the memory of the of the day. Anisa got lost in her in desire to cleanse away the images of Ryan's body lying motionless on the pavement and the feel of his blood on her hands. She was so deep in her own thoughts that she didn't hear the door to the bathroom open.

She was pulled from her thoughts by a husky voice asking, "Can I join you?" Without waiting for a response, Spike slid the shower door open and stepped into the shower. Anisa pulled him to her. She needed to feel his body against her, she need to feel his touch, she needed to …. feel.

* * *

**A/N**: I hope you liked it... Thanks for reading.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: ** Again, apologies for the delay in getting this done... I am not sure I love this chapter, but would love to hear your thoughts. Either way, I hope you enjoy.

"_Phrases in quotes and italics_" are thoughts.

"_**Phrases in quotes, italics and bold"**_ are text messages.

"**Phrases in quotes and bold**" are directly from the episode.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Flashpoint related except some DVDs.

* * *

**Knowing where you need to be**

**Chapter 10**

The next day Spike and Anisa rose early to get an early start on their day. They didn't say much that morning. It was as if nothing else needed to be said, nothing else could be said.

As they each headed to their own cars, Spike took her in his arms, kissed her cheek and whispered into her ear. "Thank you"

Relishing the proximity of his body, she asked softly, "For what?"

"For knowing me. Knowing what I need," said Spike kissing her. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she murmured into his lips. They both got into their cars and started their days.

* * *

Team One had a slow day, which was good because it allowed them time deal with the news about Wordy. After workout, the team showered and went about various tasks. Sam and Jules tidied and inventoried the equipment. Spike worked to get the truck in order. Ed and Greg met to discuss how to go about finding a replacement for Wordy. When Spike had finished in the truck he went to his office computer and started his research on Parkinson's.

Anisa went to the office and met with Sergeant Duncan who informed her that Ryan was expected to be out for about a month and that during that time she would be given a new detective/partner to work with and train. She was not too happy about that news for a couple of reasons 1) she didn't want to work with anyone other than Ryan; and 2) she hated training people. Duncan said that her new temporary partner would be there that afternoon.

"OK. Since you are forcing this on me against my will...I'm going to spend the morning at the hospital," she grumbled as she left his office. _"This sucks, she hated training newbies, they were so young and wide eyed and optimistic...YUCK!"_

When she arrived at the hospital, Mel was sitting in Ryan's room reading the newspaper.

"Hi," Anisa said poking her head in. "Hope I am not interrupting anything."

Mel folded the paper and quickly stood saying, "No! You can have him... he has been a bear since I got here and I need a break!" With that she handed Anisa the paper and walked out. Both Ryan and Anisa followed her with their eyes. Anisa turned to face her partner and raised a questioning eyebrow.

"What? I don't know what her problem is. I'm the one lying here in pain and she gets all pissy because..."

Anisa held up her hand in protest. "I don't want to hear it. I am sure you were being a pain in the ass, so I am taking her side. Don't try to convince me otherwise."

"Rrrrgg," growled Ryan in frustration.

"Behave or I won't give you what is in this bag," taunted Anisa waving a brown paper bag in front of his face. Ryan defiantly looked out the window, but slowly turned to face her, his face softening.

"What's in it?" he asked expectantly.

Anisa smiled broadly and said, "Your favorite... Jolly Ranchers." Her partner's face lit up like a Christmas tree. She handed him the bag and with one arm he fumbled to get it open. Eventually Anisa took pity on him and opened the bag and unwrapped his favorite flavor, green apple. Popping a watermelon flavored candy into her own mouth, she sat in the chair next to the bed.

"So how are you feeling, big guy?"

"Like I just got shot ... twice," he groaned.

"Be nice, or I will take the candy away," she threatened. But deep inside, the guilt was beginning to take hold again. Ryan looked at his partner recognizing the look in her eyes.

In a gentler tone, he said, "So Red, what happened yesterday? Did we get Hudson?" Anisa told him about how Hudson and his girlfriend had escaped but had later been apprehended by Team One.

"Geeze, I missed all the fun," he joked. Then, more soberly, he asked, "What about the guys who ambushed us?"

Anisa fidgeted in her seat, then explained, "After I saw what was happening, I was able to take them out, but it was..." she trailed off. "God it happened so fast. I don't know why I wasn't expecting it. I wasn't ready for the ambush." She looked at him but didn't say anything chewing on her lip.

"It wasn't your fault. Nobody expected the ambush. They must have been tipped off," offered Ryan attempting to make her feel better. "You did the best you could."

Anisa felt a pain in her chest as he said this because it meant that her best was not good enough to keep him safe. She replied shakily, "Yeah, I guess."

Knowing that she was riddled with guilt, Ryan tried to make her feel better by saying, "You know the doctor said that you saved my life...that if you hadn't gotten there when you did, I probably would have bled to death." He hesitated a moment waiting for that to sink in a little, then added, "So I guess I owe you one."

Reminding herself that she was supposed to make him feel better, Anisa joked, "Yeah. Actually, you owe me a shirt and a pair of jeans."

He chuckled and the mood was lightened. Anisa then began telling him that she was now saddled with training a new detective because he was out. It was clear that she was not thrilled about it, either.

"Make him do all the paperwork. That will keep him out of your hair and get the paperwork off your desk. Killing two birds with one stone."

"Good strategy, Lambert," replied Anisa as Mel walked back into the room. Checking her watch, Anisa stood to leave and handed the bag of Jolly Ranchers to Melanie. "I gotta go, but this is your weapon. If he gives you any grief, withhold the candy!"

Hugging her friend, Mel said, "Thanks, 'Nis. I'll call you later and let you know when I can bring him home."

"Thanks, Mel."

* * *

Anisa walked into her building contemplating how to tell Sergeant Duncan about how she defied Ed Lane. She was pretty sure that he would be on her side, but she also knew that protocol was protocol and that she was probably facing some kind of disciplinary action. She entered the elevator and glanced at the other occupant and smiled.

"Hi, Merry," greeted Anisa.

"Hey there McConnell," responded Detective Danner stepping to the side. "I hear you helped out on that big drug sting the other day. Good job."

"Yeah, thanks," answered Anisa. At that moment young woman entered the elevator. She was tall, approximately 5ft. 9 in. with long brown hair, deep brown eyes and gorgeous skin. She was dressed in a well fitting tailored suit with a slim skirt. She was a knock-out. The two detectives nodded to the woman in acknowledgment. She smiled pleasantly and nodded back stepping into the elevator. Detective Danner got off first giving Anisa a wave.

"See ya, Merry," said Anisa as the doors closed. When the elevator stopped on her floor the brunette exited and turned left down the hall toward the restroom. Anisa made a bee-line for Duncan's office.

"Hey Boss, gotta second?" asked Anisa knocking on his door.

Duncan was just ending a phone call as he motioned her to enter and take a seat. She entered, closed the door and sat in the chair facing Duncan.

"How's Lambert today?" he asked.

She smiled, "He seems to be doing well... being grumpy and uncooperative. Almost back to himself."

Duncan smiled, "Good to hear."

Anisa took a deep breath to steel herself in preparation to tell Duncan about the conflict with Ed Lane. "Um … boss, I have to tell you something. You may get a an insubordination report on me from the sting operation."

"What!? What are you talking about? What happened?"

"Well... Team One Team Leader, Ed Lane, told me not to retrieve Ryan and for me to wait for them to arrive. I told him that I was not going to do that. Boss, I knew that I could get him to safety, I saw the extent of his injuries," she said pleadingly. "I couldn't take a chance...I couldn't sit by and watch him bleed to death." Anisa glanced at Duncan who was leaning back in his chair rubbing his chin. "But, I did willfully disobey a direct order. Lane was understandably angry... and I told him that if he wanted to file a report then he should do so."

"I see," said Duncan nodding his head reservedly. He had spoken to the doctors and knew that the speed of her rescue may have saved Lambert's life. "Is this going to be an ongoing issue with Lane and Team One? We want them on our side...we don't want to damage our relationship them."

Anisa agreed. "I will make sure that does not happen. I'll handle that."

"OK. You have my full support. I will let you know if I get a disciplinary report."

"Thanks, boss."

A knock was heard on the door and Duncan grunted, "Enter." Anisa stood to leave and was saw the person entering Duncan's office was the brunette beauty from the elevator.

Their eyes met and Anisa smiled saying, "Hi...I was just leaving."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. I can come back..."

Duncan stood up, waving the brunette in and indicated she should sit in one of the chairs in front of his desk. "Sit down McConnell." Anisa instantly did as she was told but tilted her head to the side quizzically. Duncan directed his next statement to the brunette, "Glad you're here, Stewart. Let me introduce Detective Anisa McConnell. McConnell, this is Cameron Stewart, your temporary partner."

Anisa had glanced through the file Duncan had handed her earlier in the day, but had assumed that Cameron Stewart was a male. She smiled to her self and shook her head at her own incorrect assumption. She turned to the other woman offered a hand a smile, "Hi, you can call me Anisa."

The brunette smiled nervously and shaking Anisa's hand said, "It's nice to meet you."

"OK, detectives, here is your first case," said Duncan handing them each a folder. "There have been a series of disappearances. The victims are at-risk young women. I want you to review the files and then we will talk about a game plan." He stood up indicating that they should leave. The women picked up the folders and left his office.

As Anisa sat down at her desk, she said to Cameron, "You can sit at Lambert's desk for now." She kept reminding herself that she had to be nice and that this was only temporary.

"Um … OK," she said nervously.

Anisa was struck by the paradox of the this woman's external appearance which exuded self confidence and the insecurity that her actions and words seemed to display. Anisa had read her file so she knew that Stewart had all the qualifications needed and came with accolades from her previous colleagues. She thought it might be helpful to drop her tough girl facade and try to connect with this young woman who was obviously nervous about her first day as a detective.

"Welcome," Anisa said trying to make her feel more at ease. "You have pretty impressive credentials."

"Thanks," she answered a bit sheepishly. "Sorry about your partner. Will he be alright?"

"Yeah. He should be fine in a month or so." Noticing that the woman was still very ill at ease, Anisa continued, "You OK? You seem a little...nervous."

"Uh... Yeah, I'm fine," she mumbled not holding Anisa's gaze for more than a second.. Anisa didn't know what to think and she sure as heck was not going to coddle this grown woman. She decided the best tactic was to focus on work.

"OK. Then I suggest we read through the file and develop a strategy on how to approach it," Anisa said matter-of-factly.

Both women began reading through the information quietly. When she had finished, Anisa turned to Cameron and said, "What do we know?"

The brunette snapped her head up and glared at Anisa like a deer in headlights. Anisa nodded her head slowly in an attempt to get the girl to speak.

"Um... well we know 4 girls are missing?" said Cameron tentatively. Anisa nodded again. "They are all between the ages of 15 and 21," continued Cameron softly. Anisa nodded again.

"_Boy this is like pulling teeth. I don't think I can take a month of this,"_ thought Anisa as she watched the woman in front of her nervously shuffle the papers on her desk.

Finally Anisa said, "Tell you what, why don't we get a cup of coffee and relax a little, OK?" The brunette just nodded and followed Anisa into the small kitchen area. Anisa poured a cup of coffee into a large Styrofoam cup and handed it to Cameron. Smiling a little, Cameron reached for the cup but accidentally bumped it spilling the entire cup onto Anisa's white blouse.

"Ahhh!" exclaimed Anisa as she instinctively jumped back to avoid the hot coffee from hitting her skin.

"Oh my God, I am so sorry!" apologized Cameron as she nervously tried to blot the growing brown stain on Anisa's shirt.

Anisa looked into this woman's eyes and saw raw emotion... not just nervousness, something more...fear, maybe? She very calmly said, "I am going to change my shirt. Meet you back at the desks." Anisa retrieved a spare T-shirt she kept in her bottom drawer and went to the bathroom to change. For the life of her she couldn't figure out how to connect with this girl. She was reaching her limit on patience, but decided to try one more time with a bit of humor.

Carrying her stained shirt in her hand, Anisa returned to her desk and said, "Man I am going through shirts this week like it is nobody's business." Anisa smiled in an attempt to make light of the situation.

When Cameron turned to look at Anisa she saw the tear stains on the younger woman's cheeks, but what concerned her the most was the look of sheer terror in her eyes.

"OK, that's it. Grab the file and your gun and meet me downstairs," commanded Anisa with no explanation. She handed the brunette a pair of large sunglasses to hide the tear stains and said, "Put these on. I am going to get the car. I will meet you out front." Without waiting for a reply Anisa turned and left.

Moments later Cameron emerged from the building and saw Anisa behind the wheel of her police issued vehicle. She walked around to the passenger seat and got in. They drove in silence for a few minutes and then Anisa pulled the car into the parking lot of the shooting range.

"Why are we here?" asked Cameron timidly.

"You'll see," answered Anisa leading her into the building. Anisa donned the appropriate ear and eye protection handing a set to the other woman who followed suit. They went back to a booth and Cameron looked pleadingly at Anisa.

"I want you to fire three shots to the chest area of the target as quickly as you can," commanded Anisa. Cameron was still confused and a little uncertain. "NOW!"

Cameron quickly turned to the target, aimed and fired three shots then put her weapon down. Anisa could see that none of the shots had hit the center of the target. They were all about 6 inches off mark.

"This time I want you to fire when I say 'Go', but remember, squeeze don't pull the trigger," explained Anisa. Cameron looked at Anisa and nodded slowly. When she had turned to face the target again, Anisa, said, "Go...go...go." This time one hit the edge of the mark and the other two were a little closer.

"Better. Now I want you to breathe. Take a few deep breaths now. You must control your breathing as you fire to maintain the greatest accuracy. OK?"Anisa instructed. Cameron nodded and took a couple of deep breaths and turned to face the target. "Go...go...go." The shots were getting closer.

"Now, I want you to make sure that you have a full magazine loaded because I am going to have you alternate between head and chest and there will be no breaks, but you must wait to hear me say go. All you will be listening for is my voice, understand?" When the gun was loaded and Cameron was ready, Anisa began, "Chest … go...go...go...Head... go...go... Chest...go...go..." Anisa continued with the firing commands but was not watching the target. Instead, she was watching the vein in Cameron's neck to determine her pulse rate and Cameron's chest to see her breathing. When the first magazine was finished she reloaded and began again. Finally about halfway through the second magazine, Anisa saw what she was looking for. Cameron's pulse began to slow and her breathing evened out. By the time the gun was empty, all Cameron could hear was Anisa saying, "Go." She wasn't thinking about anything but the sound of Anisa's voice and the target. She was calm and focused and in complete control of herself.

"Alright, well done. We are done here so you can put your gun away and meet me at the car," Anisa instructed, leaving the shooting range and heading to the car. Cameron followed closely behind. They got into the car and Anisa drove to the closest diner which happened to be the Triple R Diner. The two women grabbed their case files and took a seat in a back booth.

Cameron looked Anisa in the eye and asked, "Are you going to tell me what that was about?"

Anisa smiled, "Well, Cameron Stewart, it is nice to finally meet the real you. I took you to the shooting range because it was the only place I could think of to make you clear your mind of whatever was making you so agitated... uptight."

Before Cameron could respond, Rosie approached the table smiling as she saw Anisa, "Well, look who it is. I haven't seen you in a dog's year. How you been, sweetie-pie?"

"Hi Rosie, how have you been?"

"Oh, you know...if I were any better you'd have to arrest me," said the waitress giggling. "What can I get you ladies?" Anisa and Cameron ordered and Rosie left the two to talk.

Taking a sip of her water, Anisa asked, "So want to tell me what was up with you earlier?"

Cameron sat back in her seat and leveled her eyes with Anisa. "You want the truth?"

"That would be nice."

"I was...It was just that … You kinda scared me."

"Geez, I scared you?... I was actually trying to be nice."

"Well..Let's just say your reputation precedes you. I mean, when I told people that I was going to be trained by you, everybody warned me about you. I was a little scared."

Anisa wasn't sure what to think. She tried to ignore the office chatter about her, but what about her had been so scary? "What did you think I was going to do you?"

Cameron, shook her head mildly disgusted that she had allowed her self to be manipulated by hearsay and gossip. "I don' t know... people just said that you were mean, hated people and some even said you would hate me so much that you would make me sit and do paperwork the whole time. Of course, there were the ones that thought you would 'like' me, if you know what I mean." Cameron winked then chuckled. "I owe you an apology. Can we start again?" Anisa nodded with a lopsided smirk.

Extending her hand, she said, "I am Cameron Stewart. You can call me Cam."

Taking her hand, Anisa grinned, "Nice to meet you Cam, I am Anisa McConnell."

Rosie brought their food and the two women began to work on the case. They worked diligently developing a strategy with which to approached their investigation for over 2 hours. Finally, Anisa stretched then took a sip of her water. Because she wasn't paying attention to what she was doing some of the water dribbled down her chin and onto her shirt leaving a spot. She found the irony of spilling on another shirt funny so she started to giggle and dab at the spot. Cam started to chuckle as well, and soon they were both laughing heartily. Once the laughter had subsided, Anisa looked at the woman across from her and saw her shaking her head.

Anisa asked, "What? Why are you shaking your head?"

"I guess I am just sorry that I jumped to conclusions and listened to all of those stories about you. None of them were true," confessed Cam. Anisa simply smiled and shrugged her shoulders.

"I suppose there is a grain of truth in most of those statements. I never made an effort to get to know most of the other detectives, especially women, so I can understand that they would come to the conclusion that I am not nice. I can live with that." Cam listened quietly. "I don't hate people, I just don't make a huge effort to get to know them nor allow them to get to know me. I don't think I am mean, though...but I guess that reputation in our job can be an advantage," she finished with a smirk.

"How come you don't let anybody get close to you?" asked Cam sincerely. Anisa looked into the brown eyes of the woman across from her to glean her reason for asking such a personal question

Concluding that Cameron's question was earnest, Anisa replied, "That is a long story for another day." Anisa smiled softly. Trying to bring some levity back to the mood, she asked, "What are your thoughts about the last rumor...about me being a 'liking you'.?"

Cam chuckled, "I am pretty sure that is not true either."

"Oh yeah? What makes you say that?"

Looking Anisa straight in the eye, she said, "Well, since we have been sitting here, your phone has buzzed four times." She then nodded her head at the phone that was sitting on the table. "Each time, the name 'Mike' appeared, but you didn't answer it or respond to the text messages. That indicates that it was a personal call, not a work call. I surmise that Mike is a boyfriend not a relative because if a relative were trying to reach you that many times, you would probably assume there was something wrong and answer the phone. Thus, you have are not gay."

Anisa was grinning, "Excellent deduction, my dear Watson," she said invoking a line from Sherlock Holmes. This made Cameron laugh out loud.

"If you will excuse me, I am heading to the restroom … now you can call 'Mike' back."

Anisa smiled and dialed her phone glancing at her watch. It was 9:00 already...Spike picked up on the second ring.

"Hey, are you still working?" he asked in disbelief.

"Yeah. Kind of a long story. I'll tell you later. We are finishing up now. What are you up to?" She could hear noise and commotion in the background.

"I was trying to reach you to let you know that we are at the Goose. Wanna come by?" he asked expectantly.

"Um... maybe. I gotta wrap up here and then get back to office. Probably won't be ready to head out until at least 9:30."

"We'll still be here. C'mon by...please" she could tell he was smiling when he said 'please' and it made her smile, too.

"OK, I'll try." She glanced and saw Cameron approaching the table then quickly said, "Gotta go."

"See ya."

Anisa picked up the case files, left some bills on the table, giving a generous tip to Rosie and stood to leave.

"Ready?" asked Anisa heading for the door.

"Yep."

In the car on the way back to the office the conversation was casual. Anisa learned that Cameron was the daughter of a wealthy attorney who was not particularly happy with her career choice. They arrived at headquarters before Anisa had tell Cam any of her personal story. She wasn't ready for that.

As they emerged from the elevator, Anisa said, "So we will start talking to the officers and witnesses for each of these deaths tomorrow. Our first task is to confirm that all of these murders are related." she glanced at her temporary partner who was nodding her head in agreement. "OK then I will see you back here at tomorrow at 9:00."

"Wow, on a Saturday," Cameron muttered under her breath.

"OK, let's say 10:00," said Anisa grabbing her stained shirt.

"Oh... hey, I am really sorry about that," apologized Cam. "Let me pay for that … please."

The walked toward the elevator as Anisa answered her, "Nah... I am sure I can get the stain out. It is no big deal." The two women headed to their individual cars. "See ya tomorrow."

"OK, see ya. And thanks for... well ...giving me a chance today," said Cam.

"Oh and Cam, lose the skirt and heels. Pants and shoes you can run in make this job a lot easier," advised Anisa.

"OK. Thanks."

Anisa waved as she unlocked her car noticing that Cam was getting into a BMW 3 series convertible. _"Hmm … interesting,"_ she thought. Anisa sat in her car for a minute trying to regroup. She realized that she was tired as the looked a time...9:35. She put the car in drive and headed to the Goose. She pulled into a parking space and allowed the exhaustion to overtake her. All she wanted to do was go home and crawl into bed. She wondered if Spike would mind if she were to just go home...then her phone buzzed with a text message.

"_**Hope you are still coming. :)" **_from Spike. She smiled to herself. She knew that she could never say 'no' to him.

"_**Just parked." **_ she typed as she got out of the car.

She glanced at the car parked next to her and saw it was Ed's car. _"Ugh"_ she thought as she heard Duncan's voice in her head _"I don't want this to damage our relationship with them."_ She knew she had to make this right but wasn't sure she had the energy for that tonight. She took a deep breath and steeled herself for what could be an unpleasant confrontation.

Anisa opened the door to a crowded bar...it was Friday night, after all. She scanned the crowd and caught a glimpse of broad shoulders and a bald head...Ed Lane. Across the table from him sat Spike and Jules. She made her way to their table and saw the wrinkle in Spike's brow disappear as he grinned and made room for her between him and Jules. Jules gave her a smile and a hug as she sat down while Spike pulled her chair out for her. He casually touched her shoulder as she sat down and she immediately felt something akin to a shock of electricity. She looked at Spike to see if he had felt it too. He gave her a look indicating that he had and they both gently smiled at each other. It reminded her of the first time they had met and they had touched incidentally.

Anisa smiled and said hello to everyone at the table and gave an extra nod to Ed as a sign of respect. She hoped he read it as such. Sam poured her a beer and she took a sip settling back into her seat. Spike quietly reached under the table and took her hand in his. She immediately felt her tension begin to release.

After about 10 minutes, Ed excused himself to the restroom and Anisa knew this was her chance. She waited a couple minutes and followed suit. She waited for Ed in the hallway where the bathrooms were located. When he exited the men's room he found himself face-to-face with her.

"Hey Ed, can I talk to you for a second?"

Standing tall, he gave a monosyllabic response, "Sure."

"About the other night. I am sorry that I did not obey your command. I meant no disrespect."

"Uh-huh."

"I want you to know that I have the utmost respect for you and your team. I understand that your call was logically the best call."

Ed nodded at her acknowledgment. He contemplated her words for a moment before responding. "OK, I have a couple of questions for you. Do you regret your decision?"

"To retrieve Lambert?...No."

"So you would do it again?"

"Yes. Listen, Ed, I understand that objectively SRU is better suited for the retrieval. But... I also have experience with similar types of retrievals and my partner was bleeding badly. I was there. I saw the extent of his wounds. If I had even the slightest doubt that I could retrieve him successfully, I would not have done it... I wouldn't have risked Lambert's safety." Ed nodded at her, but said nothing.

Anisa continued, "If the positions had been reversed and you were me and Lambert were Wordy, what would you have done?"

Ed narrowed his gaze at the mention of his friend. "That's different... I'm a member of Team One and we have training in such things."

"So even if you were told not to retrieve him … you would, right?" Anisa persisted. Ed remained silent glaring at her. "I am not trying to convince you that I was right and you were wrong, because you were RIGHT. I am simply trying to explain my actions...not excuse them."

Rubbing his hand across his chin and down his neck, Ed glanced at the ceiling then closed his eyes. When his eyes returned to hers, they had softened a little.

"Ed, regardless of whether you file insubordination charges or not, I hope that we can repair our working relationship."

The tiniest hint of a smirk bent one corner of his mouth upwards. _"This girl has gumption,"_ he thought. He intimidated most women … a little. But not this one. That made the other corner of his mouth rise slightly.

"Although I am not happy you defied me, I understand your actions. I hope in the future if we work together that we can trust each other to make the best decisions for all concerned."

"I think that should not be a problem," said Anisa offering her hand as a peace offering.

Ed took it and gave her a real smile, saying softly, "And yeah... I would have retrieved Wordy...regardless."

Releasing his hand Anisa gave him a genuine smile and said, "We good?"

"Yeah, we're good," Ed answered then turned to go back to the table while Anisa continued to the restroom.

As she came out, Spike was waiting for her in the empty hallway outside the bathroom. Without a word, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her forcefully against his body. Looking into her eyes for permission, he saw her assent and he gently brought his lips to hers in a soft sweet kiss. She lost herself to the feeling of his arms around her and his lips on hers. It seemed to make all of the stress from the day melt away. When he finally released her, they were both slightly breathless.

"I love you," he whispered.

Resting her forehead on his chin, she slid her arms up his back pulling him even closer. Telling him that she loved him did not seem to do justice to her true feelings for him and what he had brought into her life.

Tilting her head up to look into his big brown eyes, she said softly, "Mike, I can't fathom how to express the depth of my feelings for you...so, 'I love you too' will have to do...for now." She kissed him briefly again.

"You want to head out after you finish your beer or do you want to stay for a while?" he asked.

"I think I'd like to go home. I has been a long day. Do you mind?" she answered.

Smiling in a way that revealed the slight indentation of his dimples, he responded, "Nope, that sounds good."

* * *

A/N: I hope you guys understood what i was trying to do with the gun range scene. I also hope you got Anisa's earnest apology to Ed. Mostly, I hope you enjoyed it.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: ** Thanks to those who have read and reviewed and again apologies for the delay in getting this done. This chapter has a little fluff and a little angst as we delve into Spike's relationship with his father.

"_Phrases in quotes and italics_" are thoughts.

"_**Phrases in quotes, italics and bold"**_ are text messages.

Please forgive the Italian translation... I pulled them from Google Translate, so... they are what they are.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Flashpoint related except some DVDs.

* * *

**Knowing where you need to be**

**Chapter 11**

Both Spike and Anisa slept soundly that night due to sheer exhaustion, both physical and emotional. They had come back from the Goose and spent at least another hour talking about their days. Spike told her about his research on Parkinson's and Anisa told him about Cameron Stewart. By the time they went to bed they were both completely spent.

Spike opened his eyes at 7:30 which was really late for him. He glanced at Anisa who was soundly sleeping. He managed to slide quietly out of bed and softly padded into the kitchen. He started a pot of coffee and checked the contents of the fridge.

Anisa opened her eyes and it was dark in her room, a reflection of the gray gloomy day outside. When she looked at the clock, she saw it was 9:00. Her eyes flew open and she sprang up in bed looking around for Spike.

"Uhhhh," she groaned as she felt a twinge in her back. She took a deep breath hoping that would help the pain dissipate more quickly. She sat on the edge of the bed for a couple of minutes waiting for the pain to subside. Once she was able stand, she gingerly followed the smell of coffee and bacon.

"Morning, sleepyhead," said Spike looking up from the paper he was reading.

"Buongiorno, bello," she said walking over to him and kissing the top of his head. Before she could walk away, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his lap.

"Buongiorno, bella," he said kissing her lips. After a brief kiss, she pushed him away and stood up carefully.

"I am running late, sweetie. How could you let me sleep so long?" she asked in mock annoyance. She poured herself a cup of coffee while Spike dished up some eggs and...bacon. Anisa took the plate and sat down to eat.

"You OK?" Spike asked as he sat back down.

"Yeah, fine, why?"

"I don't know, you just look like... you are in pain or something."

"I'm OK. Just a little stiff," she answered finishing the last of her eggs. Spike looked at her with a twinge of concern, but said nothing more. "What are you doing today?"

"Ma needs some things done around the house, so I thought I would help her out."

"Why don't you plan to stay there tonight. I was thinking I should take Mrs. Cleary shopping and out to dinner this evening. I haven't spent that much time with her lately," Anisa noticed a look of sadness cross his face. "Mike, I will meet you at your house tomorrow. I promise."

"OK," he answered watching her rinse her dishes in the sink. "Just so you know, I don't sleep as well at home anymore..."

"Mike, I love you..." she said, kissing him softly, "...but I gotta jump in the shower. Thanks for the breakfast." She scampered off for the shower.

0000

Anisa and Cameron spent the day re-interviewing the original investigating officers and trying to track down potential witnesses for the missing girls. The day went well and they decided to call it a day around 5:00.

Cameron was at her desk gathering her things when she looked at Anisa and asked with a worried expression, "So are we working tomorrow?"

Without missing a beat Anisa continued gathering her papers, but answered, "Yep. How about 8:00?" She looked at the taller woman who had a look shock and disappointment on her face.

Anisa just looked at her blankly then broke out laughing. "HaHa... gotcha! I'll see you Monday. Have good rest of the weekend."

On the drive home, she felt good about the progress they were making on case and was feeling less anxious about working with the "newbie." After freshening up and changing her clothes. Anisa knocked on her neighbor's door.

"Come in!" Anisa heard through the door so she opened it and entered.

"Mrs. Cleary... what have I told you about leaving your door unlocked. I could have been a burglar or criminal," Anisa chastised her elderly neighbor.

"Well, my dear, criminals rarely knock. Besides, I knew it was you," replied the older woman with a smile. She picked up her handbag and headed to the door. Anisa smiled and followed behind making sure the door was locked when they exited.

Anisa drove Mrs. Cleary to a local market where she could pick up some fresh vegetables and other foods. After loading those parcels into the car, the two women found a small bistro for a bite to eat. They sat at a cozy table near the window so they could enjoy some people watching. The two women told stories and giggled throughout the meal and decided to go for ice cream afterward. The sat on a bench near the park and talked about her family and Spike and his family. They were giggling about something when Anisa glanced at some of the people walking by. Suddenly she realized that she recognized a woman buying ice cream for two children.

"Ria, is that you? Hi" said Anisa getting the woman's attention.

The woman turned to face her, drawing the attention of the two young boys. Immediately the smaller of the boys ran over to her and wrapped his arms around her legs.

"Hi, Tommy!" said Anisa as she tussled his hair.

"Hi Anisa... what are you doing around here?" said Ria with a smile.

"Getting ice cream with my friend," she said indicating Mrs. Cleary who had just stood up. "Ria, this is Mrs. Cleary. Mrs. Cleary, this is Ria Scarlatti...oh wait, I guess that is not your last name."

"Ha Ha...It's DaRosa," said Ria extending her hand to Mrs. Cleary. "It is nice to meet you, Mrs. Cleary."

Taking her hand, "You can call me Maureen." Ria looked confused and glanced at Anisa. "Oh, she won't use my first name...because she is a pigheaded Irish woman," said Mrs. Cleary with a devilish grin. Anisa introduced the two boys to her friend and they found a table they could all share.

"Why are you and the boys here and where is Cici?" asked Anisa

Ria smiled and explained that Cici was at her first guitar lesson up the street and that she had to bring the boys with her. "I figured that if I got the boys some ice cream, I could take them back to the studio and they might behave for the rest of the hour."

"Why don't you leave them here with us. I am sure that Mrs. Cleary would love to chat with some cute Italian boys rather than a pigheaded Irish woman."

"She's right, you know... those boys are cuter than she is, too," added Mrs. Cleary with a wink. "You know, Ria, you look just like your brother...but prettier, of course."

"Haha, Thanks. Are you sure you don't mind?" asked Ria seeing Anisa nod.

Anisa rose and walked a few steps with Ria. "You know, it is probably a good idea for you to be in there with her. It will make her feel safe since this is new to her. And...I was serious about watching the boys. Let me know her schedule and I will be happy to watch them... especially if there is ice cream involved." Anisa knew that it was never a good idea to leave a child alone with someone you didn't know well.

"Thanks, Anisa. I...I'll see you in an hour."

When Ria returned with Cici an hour later the other four were sitting at a table playing cards. The mother and daughter sat down and joined them while they finished their game.

Turning her attention to Cici, Anisa asked, "How was your lesson?"

"It was fine...good," answered the teenager trying to hide the excitement from her voice. She looked at Anisa who was smiling and nodding. Finally her exuberance bubbled over and she started to tell Anisa all about the lesson.

"... And then Mr. Jacoby said that I was good... I was really good."

Anisa threw her arms around the girl in a hug and responded, "That is awesome! You are awesome!" Releasing her, Anisa asked, "When is your next lesson?"

"Wednesday...I can't wait," Cici gushed. Then looking at her mother she said, "Thanks, mom."

"You bet. Now we have to get these guys home," said Ria rising and pulling her sons up, too.

"What time should I be at your house on Wednesday?" asked Anisa allowing no room for Ria to back out.

"If you are 100% sure...6:00 would be great."

"I'll be there," responded Anisa as the group made its way to the parking garage. Anisa and Cici were each holding one of Tommy's hands and swinging him between them.

Mrs. Cleary was walking next to Ria who turned to the older woman and said, "You know, Anisa is really great. She has been so good for my brother."

Mrs. Cleary smiled and said, "Yes, she is that. Your brother, Mike, has changed her life. She smiles and laughs, now. I can even hear her singing through the walls …. that is not always pleasant, but warms my heart anyway. She is like a daughter to me and she and Mike take good care of me."

The group parted with hugs as they made their way to their cars. The ride home started with pleasant chatter between Anisa and Mrs. Cleary but soon settled into a comfortable silence. Anisa thought about the evening and how much she had enjoyed being with Ria's kids. She loved how being around children made her feel. She really missed having a family. She hoped that she might one day still have kids...a family of her own. That thought made her mind drift to Spike. Part of her wished that she hadn't told him stay at his parents. She was starting to miss him already and she wasn't even home yet. _"Oh well,"_ she thought, _"tomorrow will come soon enough." _

Anisa helped Mrs. Cleary carry her bags to her apartment and unload them. They said their goodbyes and Anisa headed next door to her apartment looking forward a long hot shower. She entered her apartment and immediately went pick out some music. Since she couldn't see Spike that night, so she decided to pick a playlist he had put together for her of Italian arias. Although she had no idea what the words meant, she was singing along with arias. After drying off, she put on her robe and towel dried her hair continuing to sing along with the music. She exited her bathroom with the intent of selecting a book from her vast library but stopped in her tracks when she saw him standing in the doorway of her bedroom.

Spike leaned against the door jam of her bedroom with his hands jammed in his pocket. His smile was almost bashful. "Don't stop singing on my account."

Stepping closer to him she asked, "Mike what are you doing here?" She tried to hide her excitement. She took another step closer so she was close enough to touch him.

"Do you want me to leave?" he asked with hurt in his voice.

"No," she said gently brushing her lips to his. "I just thought you were staying at you parent's house."

"Ma kicked me out. She said she hated me moping around," he answered with a trace of a smile. Anisa gave him a dubious look. "I promise! I almost asked her to write me a note because I knew you wouldn't believe me," he teased.

She gave him a tender but defensive smile, "OK, I believe you."

"Avevo solo bisogno di vederti. Non riesco a dormire senza di te al mio fianco,"* he replied tucking a tendril of strawberry blonde hair behind her ear then kissing her. She found her body drawn to is as he spoke those words.

Wrapping one arm around his neck and resting the other on his bicep, she she whispered into his lips, "I have no idea what you said, but you know how I feel when you speak Italian... I am glad you are here." He pulled her close and kissed her passionately. Sliding his had around her waist, he tugged the end of the tie to her robe allowing it to fall open eliciting slight moan from Anisa.

* * *

Anisa rolled against Spike as the pitter-patter of rain hit against the window and asked, "Are going to tell me what you said last night?"

"I said, 'I just needed to see you. I can't sleep without you next to me'. You just proved me right … I slept like a baby last night," said Spike smiling and wrapping her in his arms.

Snuggling into his chest, she said softly, "Me too" and she dozed off again. Spike smiled to himself thinking about how lucky he was, as he too drifted off. About an hour later Anisa woke again and laid in Spike's embrace listening to the rain. The sound was melodic and soothing and allowed her mind to drift back to thoughts of family. For the first time in years she allowed herself to think that maybe she could have a family...children. Although the thought scared her a little it also warmed her soul. After a few minutes, she realized that she had to go to the bathroom. She rolled away from Spike and felt a little twinge in her back again. As she slid her legs over the edge of the bed, she thought, _"Geeze, I hope I am not going to be one of those people who can predict the weather with my aches and pains."_ She sat up breathing slowly to will away the spasms in her back. It took about a minute for the pain to subsided enough for her to stand up. She plodded to the bathroom. When she came out, Spike was standing with a pair of jeans on with his arms crossed in front of his chest with a very serious look on his face. Anisa couldn't tell if it was anger or worry on his face.

"What?" she asked concerned.

He uncrossed his arms and smiled a worried smile. "Babe, what is going on? Talk to me...you could barely get out of bed this morning."

"I'm OK. My back has been sore for the last couple of days. It may the weather...it's getting colder and a front rolled in last night."

"Or it may be that you went back to work too early after a severe back injury? Perhaps you over did it?" he said pulling her into his arms.

Resting her head on his chest, she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Maybe, but I am fine now, OK? I am just a little slower getting up in the morning," she said trying to ease his mind. "I hate to admit it, but I'm no spring-chicken anymore."

Spike chuckled when she said that. "Want me to call my friend Tony? Just to have a look at?" said Spike referring to his friend who was an orthopedic surgeon.

"No...not yet. Let's just see how the next few days go."

"OK..two days and then you'll let me call Tony?"

Nodding her had she said, "I promise." She kissed him then hugged him close. Pulling away slightly, she asked, "Ready for breakfast?"

"Yep, I'll make the coffee," Spike answered following her into the kitchen. He brewed a pot of coffee while she made an egg-white omelet with some fresh red pepper and cilantro that she had purchased from the market yesterday. And of course, she made some bacon.

While they were eating, Anisa asked, "Hey, would you mind going to the hospital to see Ryan before we go to your parents' house?"

"Sure. I'd like to see how he's doing. We will just leave a little earlier... remember, Dad wants to you to watch the Juventus game."

"How could I forget? Think I ought to wear my Barcelona t-shirt?" she joked.

"You do it at your own risk..." said Spike jovially.

They had a leisurely morning, Spike reading the paper and Anisa reading her notes on the case. Folding the paper, Spike leaned over and looked at notes that Anisa was reading. She glanced at him questioningly. She could see his brow crinkling as he tried to read it. Tilting it so he had a better view, she said, "Wanna help?"

He took the notes from her hand and she watched his face contort as he read it. "So these girls are missing but you haven't found the bodies yet?"

"No, we don't really know where to look. They disappeared from locations all over the city. There were hardly any real witnesses and in one case we are not even sure she is missing. She may have just walked away from her life. We are assuming foul play, but there is no concrete evidence of it. Kinda frustrating. I keep thinking that I am missing something," she paused a minute to give him a chance to read the files. "See anything?"

Spike shook his head, "I don't. Wow, I don't know how you do this without just wanting to give up. Do you have pictures of the girls?"

"Yeah," she said handing him the photos. "They are all brunette, between the ages of 15 and 21 and are on the petite side. Other than that, we don't see much similarity. Tomorrow we will delve more deeply into the background of who they are... see if there is some other type of connection."

Handing the pictures back to her, he asked, "Since you haven't found any bodies, they could still be alive, right?"

She nodded her head grimly, "We are hoping." She closed the file and said, "Enough about this case. Let's get ready. I am going to take a shower."

"OK, I'll clean up," said Spike standing up to clear the dishes. Anisa followed him into the kitchen with her plate and coffee cup placing them on the counter..

Anisa slid her hand up his back making him turn to face her and then placed her hands on either side of face drawing it down into a kiss. "I am really glad you came over last night."

"Good, because I am too," he murmured into her lips.

* * *

After a quick visit with Ryan, whose grumpiness indicated that he was ready to come home, Anisa and Spike headed to his parents house.

"I'm sure Melanie will find any excuse to get out of the house every day this week, just to get away from grouchy-man," chuckled Anisa. Spike just grinned choosing not to remind her of her crabbiness when she was recovering. They pulled up in front of his house and Anisa pulled out some lip gloss and applied it.

"You know how I feel about lipstick, don't you?" he said getting out of the car walking to her side where she was just closing the door.

"Huh?" she asked confused allowing Spike to slide his arm around her waist as the ye started walking toward the door.

He stopped at the door and pulled her close. "It is a complete waste of a a cosmetic," he said kissing her deeply. Anisa's giggling finally caused then to separate.

Nibbling on his lower lip she whispered, "That is one thing I don't mind wasting." Still giggling, she added, "Besides, I think it is just your way of wearing lipstick with out buying your own tube."

"I think this is a good shade on me, don't you?" joked Spike. Anisa just laughed and wiped a smear off his lip.

They entered Spike's home and could immediately smell Mrs. Scarlatti's cooking. They both realized that they were hungry and involuntarily rubbed their stomachs. When they realized they had done that in sync they simultaneously started cracking up. The laughter drew Michelina Scarlatti out of the kitchen and into the foyer to greet them. Seeing the couple giggling together warmed the older woman's heart.

"Hello, Michelangelo... Anisa," said Mrs. Scarlatti.

"Hi, Ma," answered Spike walking over and giving her a kiss. Anisa followed closely behind.

Giving Spike's mother a hug, Anisa said, "Hi, Mrs. Scarlatti."

Taking Anisa by the hand, Mrs. Scarlatti led her into the family room. "Come... sit down." she indicated that Anisa should sit on the sofa. Mrs. Scarlatti then spoke something in Italian to Spike who nodded and jogged out of the room. Mrs. Scarlatti then turned to Anisa and offered her a drink. Spike returned momentarily helping his father into the room and then into his easy chair.

Anisa rose and greeted Spike's dad with a hug, "Hi, Mr. Scarlatti. Thank you for inviting me for the game."

Mr. Scarlatti returned the hug with a pat on the arm. "Glad you could join us. Sit." Anisa returned to her spot on the couch and Spike sat down next to her. The trio spent the next 90 minutes engrossed in the soccer game and critiquing the players and the plays.

"Oooh that was a dive... he should win a Gemini for that performance!" exclaimed Anisa as one of the opposing players fell flailing to ground. The ref approached one of the Juventus players and pulled out a yellow card.

"Questo è un oltraggio!**" grumbled Mr. Scarlatti indignantly pounding his fist on the arm of his chair.

"All the refs must be on their payroll," remarked Anisa while Spike sat quietly by ...smiling. Anisa and the elder Scarlatti exchanged colorful commentary on the incident until they were both laughing heartily. When he laughed, Anisa could see the same gleam in his eyes that sparkled in Spike's eyes when he was happy. Anisa could also see where Spike got his dimples. The game ended in a 1-1 tie.

Just as the game ended, Mrs. Scarlatti announced that dinner was ready, so Spike helped his dad up and to the table as Anisa helped Mrs. Scarlatti carry the dishes out. They sat down and shared a brief grace before they dug into dinner.

Spike asked between mouthfuls, "Where are Ria and the kids?"

"Ria called this morning and said that Tommy had a stomach ache and wasn't feeling well," replied his mother. Spikes brow knit in concern so she continued, "Nothing to worry about. She said that he had too much ice cream last night." This elicited a slight chuckle from Anisa. "She mentioned that she saw you last night," Mrs. Scarlatti stated, speaking to Anisa.

"Yeah. I was having ice cream with my neighbor and she was getting ice cream for the boys while Cici took her first guitar lesson," responded Anisa. "We really had a nice time. I offered to watch the boys for her when Cici has a lesson. Her next lesson is on Wednesday night."

"You didn't tell me about that," said Spike a little perplexed.

"I'm sorry, Mike. I guess it just slipped my mind," Anisa was worried that she may have somehow overstepped her boundaries. "Uh...I hope that is OK. Do you mind?"

Spike looked surprised at her question. "Of course I don't mind. I'm happy that you and Ria are getting to know each other and heaven knows she could use the help. We can babysit together," he added with a smile sliding his hand into hers.

She smiled, gave his hand a squeeze and said, "That would fun...but no late night ice cream!"

Once dinner was over, Mr. Scarlatti said something sternly to Spike in Italian who nodded and left the room carrying dishes into the kitchen, glancing at Anisa as he left the room. Mrs. Scarlatti followed him carrying a handful of dishes with her. Anisa felt a little anxious about Spike's abrupt departure following his father's terse words. _"I really gotta learn Italian,"_ she thought. Anisa rose to help, but Mr. Scarlatti placed his hand over hers asking her to help him into the other room. After she had him settled into his easy chair, he indicated she should sit down.

It was a slightly uncomfortable silence and Anisa could tell that Mr. Scarlatti had something he wanted to say. So she just sat waiting for him to speak

"Anisa, I am sure that you must think me a terrible father. After all, what kind of father doesn't speak to his son for years..." began Mr. Scarlatti before Anisa started to interrupt.

"...Mr. Scarlatti I..." stammered Anisa. Mr. Scarlatti put his hand up for her to stop.

"Anisa, please, I would like to explain somethings to you," he stated. Anisa sat back and listened to what he had to say. "Michelangelo has a brilliant mind, but you already know that. When he was little he wanted to be a doctor... a scientist. Then he discover explosions which, as a father, is frightening. But I was still hopeful that it would lead him down a path toward science, perhaps a Nobel Prize one day. When he chose to join the police force my heart sank. He is my only son and he chose a dangerous career. My only hope was that his intelligence would help him rise through the ranks quickly to a position of authority and less danger. As you know he decided that he wanted to be part of the SRU. Every second of every day I worry that he will be killed."

"Mr. Scarlatti, I understand your fear. It's natural to worry about someone you love. But Mike is really good at his job and he is part of the best team in the business."

"Yes... I know. But then I got sick and all my fears and worries grew even bigger. With me gone, who would take care of Michelina. Maria has her own family to care for and...that husband of hers." He couldn't hide his disdain for Joe. "My son goes off to work everyday and puts his life in danger. When Louis died it was like I lost a son. I couldn't bear the thought of losing him and then ... what would happen with Mama." Dominic Scarlatti was close to tears but managed to hold them back. Anisa did not know what to do or say.

"Mr. Scarlatti, I assure you that I never thought you were a bad father. All of your fears are reasonable and well founded. I know what it is like to be alone." Mr. Scarlatti held her eyes with his. "When I lost my husband, I had no one. I promise you that Mrs. Scarlatti will not be alone.

"I am sorry for your loss," offered Mr. Scarlatti. He paused for a few moments then glanced back at her. Quietly he added, "That must have been difficult. May I ask how he died?"

* * *

Spike was helping his mother in the kitchen but was dying to know what his father was saying to Anisa. He put a stack of dishes away in the cabinet and walked over to the doorway to check on them. They were sitting close to each other but Spike couldn't hear what they were saying. His mother came and stood next to him as they watched Anisa close her eyes. Spike had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. They watched as Anisa opened her eyes and turned to face his dad. It was then that Spike noticed the streaks on her face.

"He made her cry?!" exclaimed Spike and he started to run into the family but was stopped by his mothers gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Wait Mikey, let's see what happens," soothed his mother.

It took every ounce of Spike's will power not to stomp in there and demand to know what his father had said to bring Anisa to tears. It was one thing for his father to take his anger out on him, but he had no right to upset her. Just as he was about to pull free from his mother's grasp, he saw his father place his hand on Anisa's to comfort her. Mrs. Scarlatti patted her son's arm and redirected him back to the kitchen.

* * *

She did not really want to talk about this but she thought that it might help give him a way to find peace with Spike's job. "Um...he died on a mission in Afghanistan." She looked at him and he nodded as if to say 'continue', so she did. She closed her eyes for a moment, thinking that she may have forgotten that day, but the memories came back clear as day. Anisa opened her eyes which were filled with tears and stared straight ahead. In her mind she could see his crystal orbs staring up at her ... smiling at her... telling her it was all going to be OK. And then, in a split second, the life in those eyes was gone and they were empty. "We managed to complete the mission with only one injury and one casualty." She hadn't realized that her face was streaked with tears until she felt Dominic Scarlatti's hand squeezing hers gently.

She glanced at him and he smiled at her reassuringly saying, "I am sorry, I should not have brought it up."

"No, it's OK. Really." Anisa took a second to compose herself before continuing, "After my tour was over, I left the military and basically cried for about a year. Finally, a good friend convinced me that my journey in this world was not over yet. So, I thought about my skills and what they might be good for and police work was the logical choice. After a few years things were going well and I was almost back to 'normal'." Anisa paused and smiled as the next thought entered her mind. "Then I met Mike and...well everything changed. He understood my sadness and pain and showed me how to turn the emotions around. I saw how he handled loss and was amazed at his resilience. His inner strength surprises me every day. He makes me laugh everyday." She smiled at the older man and turned her hands over so she was now holding his old calloused hands in hers. "Mr. Scarlatti, he showed me things that I didn't think were possible...that I can love again and more importantly, that I can be loved." This statement brought a smile to the old man's face revealing some crevices beneath the lines in his face. Anisa couldn't stop her hand from reaching up and touching the dimples on his cheek that reminded her so much of Spike.

When Spike entered the family room he saw the tender moment between Anisa and his father and stopped in his tracks. Anisa dropped her hand into her lap and glanced away from Dominic Scarlatti noticing Spike in the doorway.

"Hi, Mike. Are you finished helping your mom?"

"Yeah, we are all done, how are things going out here?" Spike answered taking a seat next to Anisa who settled in next to him. Spike's emotions were scattered. He was glad that Anisa and his dad were getting along, but he also was feeling...confused about what he had seen... the crying …. the tender touch. He was also perplexed about his father had treated him and it made him feel... was he angry or hurt or sad. Spike was jarred from his thoughts by the sounds of his father's deep, hacking cough.

"I think I need to rest," said Mr. Scarlatti feebly rising to his feet. Spike jumped up to help, but his father just waved him off. He hugged Anisa goodbye as he headed to his room.

Spike and Anisa took this as a an indicator that it was time for them to leave as well. After saying their good byes, Spike slid his hand into Anisa's and the couple walked to the car. The ride home was quieter than normal. Anisa reached over and placed her hand on his leg.

"You OK?" she asked gravely.

He placed his hand over hers. "Yeah, just thinking...I do that sometimes," he said trying to lighten the mood.

"Ha Ha... I've heard that rumor," commented Anisa turning her hand over so she held his.

Once in the apartment, Anisa kicked off her shoes and sat on the couch stretching her shoulders and back out.

Taking a seat next to her Spike asked, "You OK?"

"Yeah, just stretching," she answered turning her body to face him. He looked at her and gave her a sweet smile revealing the outline of his dimples. Anisa thought about how much he and his father looked alike. She found herself reaching up to touch the indentation, as she had done with his dad. "You look a lot like your dad, especially when he smiles. He has dimples just like you." She leaned in and kissed the corner of his mouth near his dimple. Spike responded by nuzzling her cheek.

"So what did you guys talk about after he sent me to the kitchen like a 5 year old?" Spikes last few words were laced with resentment.

Anisa's expression changed to one of empathy. "We talked about you and about his feelings about you."

Spike looked at his hands shaking his head. "I don't even want to hear what he said about that."

Anisa gently took his face in her hands lifting it so he was looking her in the eye. "Mike, listen to me. He loves you. He is just afraid... afraid of dying...afraid of leaving your mother alone...afraid of losing you. He adores you but doesn't know how to tell you. He doesn't know how to handle his fear."

Spike pulled away from her as his ire began to rise and became evident in his voice, "So, not talking to me...shutting me out, is the way to handle those fears?! That makes no sense!"

"I agree... but..."

"Why are you making excuses for his behavior? I wouldn't act like that to my son EVER..no matter what...even if he were a criminal."

"I know, Mike. You are right," said Anisa calmly, her heart aching for him. "But he loves you," she added softly,"he really does."

"Whatever," he said dismissively. He looked at her face and saw a glimmer of hurt, and added gently "Babe, I'm sorry I didn't mean to jump down your throat. This has nothing to do with you. It's between me and him." Spike reached out to her and drew her to his side where she relaxed into his embrace.

"Hon, it does have to do with me. I love you and this situation causes you pain, so it hurts me too."

Lightly rubbing her shoulder, Spike wanted to shift the subject, so he asked, "What did he say to you that made you cry?"

"He didn't say anything to me to make me cry. I was telling him about Sean and for a moment I was drawn back to that day... I saw his eyes as he said 'good bye'." She interlaced her fingers with his, "It just made me sad for a second." A smile then drew across her face. "I told him about how your resilience and inner strength brought my heart back to life. Mike, you should have seen the smile on his face when I told him that. That is how I know he loves you. I know he wants you to be happy and I think he wants **US** to be happy."

He gently lifted her so she was eye-to-eye with him and said, "I am happy...because of you." Sliding his arm around her he held her close in an embrace. Anisa reached up and kissed his lips feeling the electricity flow between them. "Let's go to bed," he said lifting her as he stood and carrying her into the bedroom.

*Avevo solo bisogno di vederti. Non riesco a dormire senza di te al mio fianco = I just needed to see you. I can't sleep without you next to me.

** Questo è un oltraggio! = This is an outrage

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading. If you like it, let me know. If you don't, feel free to leave constructive criticism. Big action to come in next chapter (just for you AiP).


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: **Thank you so much for all of the wonderful reviews, they do motivate me to keep going. This chapter has some angst and some action (which many of you may know is not my strength, so be kind). I am not a expert at electronics, construction or bombs, so take that part of the chapter with a grain of salt and enjoy.

"_Phrases in quotes and italics_" are thoughts.

"_**Phrases in quotes, italics and bold"**_ are text messages.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Flashpoint related except some DVDs.

* * *

**Knowing where you need to be**

**Chapter 12**

The next few days saw more sun and warmth giving Anisa's back some relief, which was a welcome change. She and her temporary partner, Cameron Steward, continued to make headway on their case of the missing girls.

Wednesday morning Anisa and Spike were having coffee before getting ready for work, when Spike asked, "So what time are you heading over to Ria's tonight?"

"I told her I would be there at 6:00."

"OK. I will get there as soon as I can," remarked Spike.

"You don't have to. Maybe you should go to your parent's house tonight."

"I don't think so. After the way my dad treated me on Sunday, I have no interest in seeing him this week."

"Mike, don't... Trust me, you will regret not spending time with him when he is gone."

"Besides, I don't trust Joe. I don't want you alone with him if he comes home before Ria."

She knew that she was not going to sway him on this topic so she said, "OK, see you when you get there." She planted a kiss on his lips and said, "I love you more than anything." She turned on her heels and retreated to the bedroom to get ready for work.

"Me, too," he said softly as she hurried away.

* * *

Anisa pulled up to Ria's house at 5:55. She put her service weapon in a lock bag and locked it into her trunk. She was greeted at the door, by Tommy and Joey each grabbing one hand and dragging her into the house.

"Hi, Anisa," said Ria with a big smile "I am so glad you are here. This means so much to Cici .. and I feel much better knowing you are here." She then spent five minutes going through instructions about dinner and bedtime. As they were walking out the door, "I think we will grab a bite to eat after the lesson if you don't mind. "

"You bet. We will be fine and Mike will be by in a little while. You guys have fun and stay out as long as you want."

"Thanks... you are awesome. I think Joe will be home around 9:00."

After they left, Anisa turned to the boys and asked, "Who's hungry?" Amidst loud hollering, Anisa prepared a meal of chicken nuggets and salad. Anisa was dishing out the gourmet meal when her phone on the counter buzzed. Glancing at the caller ID, she said "Joey, it's your Uncle Mike. Can you answer it? I have my hands full."

Picking up the phone, Joey said, "Hi, Uncle Mike."

"Hey buddy. How's it going?" Greeted Spike.

"Good. 'Nisa is making us dinner. Are you coming over, too?"

"Yep. I was just calling to say that I'm on my way and should be there in about 15 minutes. Can you let Anisa know?"

"Sure. See ya."

"See ya."

Fifteen minutes later, Spike enters the kitchen carrying a bag. "Hi gang," he greeted. The boys who were finished their meals leaped from their seat and ran over to hug their uncle. Anisa walked over to Spike and relieved him of the bag and stole a chaste kiss.

"You hungry?" she asked.

"For chicken nuggets? You bet!" Anisa grinned at his boyishness as she dished out the remaining nuggets and salad for him. She proceeded to clean up the kitchen while the boys chattered to their uncle. Anisa thought it such a sweet scene.

Spike finished eating, then sent the boys to put on their pajamas. He came up behind Anisa who was standing at the sink doing the dishes and placed his hands her hips turning her to him.

Pulling her close to him he murmured as their lips touched "Finally."

Their kiss was interrupted by a little voice saying "Eeewwww!" Spike and Anisa turned to see little Tommy making a sour face at them. They all laughed as Spike scooped up the youngster and blew a raspberry onto the boy's neck sending him into a fit of giggles. The scene brought a smile to Anisa's face. _"He is going to make such a good father one day,"_ she thought.

"Uncle Spike, can we watch a movie and have popcorn?" came a voice from around the corner. Joey smiled and went straight for the bag that Spike had brought.

Putting Tommy down, Spike pulled out two movies from the bag. "Madagascar 3" or "Toy Story 3"? Tommy shouted "Madagascar" and Joey shouted "Toy Story." So Spike turned to Anisa for her to choose.

"Don't make me decide. Why don't you put them behind your back and I will pick one...does that sound fair?" The boys nodded so Spike put the movies behind his back and mixed them up. Anisa pointed to his left hand and Spike revealed that it was Madagascar. Everyone seemed happy with the choice. While Spike set up the movie, Anisa went and made some popcorn. The group laughed and sang along with the movie. It was enjoyed by all.

"Can we watch Toy Story now?" pleaded Joey. Spike said they could watch half of it before bed.

As they settled in to watch the second movie, Tommy crawled up onto Anisa's lap and was fast asleep within 15 minutes. Anisa sat there with her arms wrapped around the boy, his head resting on her chest, his rhythmic breathing calming her spirit. Spike looked at her with the boy in her arms and he thought he had never seen a more beautiful sight. After about 15 minutes, he got up and gently lifted Tommy up and carried him to bed. He returned to the sofa giving Joey the 5 minute warning since it was nearly 8:30.

"OK, Buddy time for bed," said Spike, giving the boy a look that said, 'this is not up for discussion.' Joey nodded getting up and giving Anisa a hug good night. Spike followed the boy to his room to tuck him in.

"Uncle Mike, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what's on your mind?"

"Are you and 'Nisa going to get married?"

"Hmm... that is a good question. I don't know yet...maybe. Why? What do you think? Should we?" asked Spike trying to dodge the question a bit because although he had thought about it they had never discussed it.

"I don't know," answered the boy honestly. "I'm not really sure why you would want to. Seems like when people get married they fight and you guys don't seem to fight now. Besides I think girls are weird and they smell funny."

Spike chuckled, "Trust me, buddy, when you get older you are gonna like the way they smell. Do your parents fight a lot?"

"Sometimes. I can hear them when I am in bed when they think I am asleep."

"Well, it is natural for married couples to disagree occasionally, but as long as they love each other and treat each other with respect, it's OK," offered Spike, trying to ease his nephew's mind a bit.

"Last night my dad was mad because Anisa was coming here," said the boy.

"Really?"

"I don't think he likes her. He told me she was mean."

"Hmm...what do you think?"

"Mommy likes her and so do Cici and Tommy," the boy paused pensively and then looked at his uncle. "I think she is nice, I guess. I have never seen her be mean to anybody. But daddy says that because she is a girl cop she is mean."

That comment angered Spike, but he kept his emotions in check, "That is interesting. What do you think about that?"

"I don't know. I know you are a cop and you aren't mean. So I guess she might be mean to bad guys, but that is OK, isn't it?"

"Sometimes all cops have to be mean to bad guys." Spike paused a moment before continuing, "It seems to me that you have given this some thought, so I will tell you what I think. I know her pretty well and I have only seen her be mean a couple of times and each of those times she had to be mean. She was either protecting herself or someone else. I will let you make your own decision, but since you asked me, I think she is pretty great...and I promise she won't ever let anything happen to you or your brother or sister."

Joey looked at his uncle as if contemplating everything he just said. Then he nodded and said, "OK Uncle Mike. I think … she is OK, too."

As the boy said this, Spike thought he heard the front door open and assumed it was his sister coming home.

"Good, I'm glad. Good talk buddy," he said tucking the boy in. Then kissing his forehead, he said, "Good night, Joey. Sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite. Love you."

"Night Uncle Mike, I love you too."

0000

Anisa was in the kitchen washing the popcorn dishes and straightening up when the front door opened. She dried her hands and was about to leave the kitchen when she was confronted by Joe in the doorway.

"Hello, Joe," she said stiffly trying to maneuver around him.

"You know I don't like this arrangement one bit. I don't want you filling my son's heads full of your crazy feminist ideas."

"Excuse me, Joe, I would like to get around you so I can gather my things and be on my way," she said trying to remain calm and make her way around him but he kept sidestepping blocking her way and sending her further back into the kitchen.

"So you think you can hit me and that there will be no repercussions?" asked Joe taking a step closer to her but she stood her ground. "You should think again," he said taking another step closer to her placing him inside the the kitchen now.

"Back off, Joe," came a calm but assertive voice from behind. Spike quickly stepped between Joe and Anisa. "I'm not sure what your plan is here, but I assure you that assaulting a police officer would be a bad one." Taking a small step closer to the bigger man, Spike added, "Am I making myself clear?!"

Anisa decided that it would be best to grab her bag and leave so she edged by the two men without taking her eyes off of them. Joe took a step back thinking Spike may have a point. At that precise moment, Ria and Cici walked into the house and the temperature immediately dropped about 10 degrees.

"Hi, Ria," announced Anisa. "How was the lesson?"

"Great! I love it!" answered Cici with enthusiasm.

"That is awesome!" commented Anisa trying to mirror the girl's enthusiasm. Then turning to Ria she said, "The boys are in bed and Joe just got home."

"Oh... OK. I was hoping to beat him home. Oh well," said Ria. Anisa noticed what sounded like a twinge of disappointment in her voice. "I saw Mike's car out there. Is he here?"

"Um...yeah. He is talking to Joe."

Spike emerged from the kitchen and pasted a smile on his face. "Hey, Sis. How was the lesson, Cici?"

Cici came up and gave him a hug which she hadn't done in months. "It was awesome. Thanks, Uncle Mike." Releasing him she headed upstairs to her room. The hug brought a smile to Spike's face despite the unpleasant confrontation only moments before.

Ria smiled at her brother, "These lessons have made her so happy. I can't thank you guys enough for helping me out." She hugged her brother and then Anisa as she was heading to the door.

"We had a great time and were happy to help," said Anisa with Spike nodding behind her.

"We are going to head out. Take it easy and we will see you on Saturday," said Spike as he ushered Anisa out the door.

Spike put his arm around Anisa as they walked to their cars. When they reached Anisa's car, she turned to him placing her head against his chest as she wrapped her arms around him. She had been a little shaken by Joe and now felt comforted in the safety of Spike's arms. Tilting her chin upwards, he gently touched his lips to hers. She responded, drawing him closer.

As they separated, Spike whispered, "Let's go home." Anisa just nodded her head and got into her car and Spike followed her home. Once in her apartment, Anisa immediately went into her bathroom and, splashing water on her face, she looked at her reflection in the mirror. She was not sure how to handle the Joe situation. It was only going to get more uncomfortable so she had to figure this out. When she emerged from the bathroom and returned to the living room she saw Spike sitting there with his elbows on his knees and his chin resting on his fisted hands. Seeing her in the doorway, he was pulled from his thoughts. He stood up as she walked toward him, making room on the couch for her. He knew she wasn't going to like what he was going to tell her so he figured he should just get it over with.

"I don't want you over there alone. I don't trust Joe. I know you are able to take care of yourself, but he is big and mean and …."

"I know," she responded softly. After a few moments she continued, "But I promised Ria. Do you think that she would mind if I watched them here?"

"Yeah, that might work," said Spike rubbing his face in frustration. Anisa could tell there was more on his mind.

"Mike, what else is on your mind? I know you don't like him, but what else is bugging you?"

"Nothing," he said standing up and walking to the window. She followed him sliding her hands around his waist from behind. Turning to face her, he wrapped his arms around her and let out a sigh, "I have to tell Ria about him. I just don't know how."

"I don't know either," answered Anisa looking into his chocolate brown eyes.. Rising up on her toes, she brought her lips to his. He pulled her closer and kissed her deeply and for that moment there was only the two of them.

Slightly out of breath, Anisa said, "Maybe it will be clearer after a good night's sleep." She led him to the bedroom.

* * *

Spike poured himself a cup of coffee early on Saturday morning before leaving for work. As he headed out the door he kissed Anisa saying, "I'm off at 7:00, I'll pick up some ice cream and be home by 8:00."

Anisa smiled and touching his cheek looked him in the eye and said, "OK. Keep safe. I love you."

"Love you too. Take it easy today," said Spike as he closed the door behind him.

* * *

Anisa spent the day cleaning her home, doing laundry and running errands...all the things that she never had time for during the week. Saturday evening came and Anisa was excited to see the boys again. She had arranged for Ria to bring them to her house so she wouldn't have to worry about seeing Joe. Spike was still trying to figure out how to tell his sister that she was married to a jerk who hit on his girlfriend and most likely had cheated on her before.

Anisa answered her door at 5:30 when Ria brought the boys by.

"Where is Mike?" asked Ria

"He had to work today. His shift ends at 7:00; he should be home by 7:30 or 8:00," offered Anisa in response. After visiting for a few minutes, Ria and Cici left for the music lesson.

Anisa had fun making dinner for the boys and then they played Candyland. Tommy won, so he got to march around the table with the trophy that they had made out a plastic cup and candy canes. Anisa took a picture of the champion and his trophy with her phone and texted it to Spike noticing it was 7:30. The boys then got their pajamas on and they settled down to watch the rest of Toy Story. She turned the TV on while she set up the DVD player just as a news flash was coming on the screen.

The reporter on the television read, "I repeat, Union Station has been shut down due to police activity. There has been a report of a bomb threat and the building is being evacuated."

Anisa scanned scene for the SRU trucks hoping that Spike was not on the call, but as she saw the command truck, she knew he was there, especially if a bomb was involved. She quickly started the DVD not wanting the boys to see the story unfold. She sent another quick text and said a silent prayer.

"_**Let me know you are OK"**_

Then she held her phone tightly in her hand so she could feel it vibrate when he responded.

* * *

The first few hours of shift were uneventful, but then Winnie's voice was heard over the loud speaker "Team One gear up, hot call at Union Station. Bomb threat with possible child abduction."

Team One was in the trucks heading to Union station being fed information from Winnie as it was available. Spike thought that it was strange to have a bomb threat _and_ child abduction. He was pulling up the schematics of the station looking for the best entry points.

"Hey Winnie, got any info on the location of the bomb?"

"Bombs, Spike. According to first responders there is one on the VIA Concourse, one near the entrance at the Bay South Concourse, that's all I have now. Oh and Spike be advised that the station is still under construction."

"Copy that. I am pulling up the construction outlines now."

When they arrived on scene, Greg and Jules went to speak to a first responder and learned that the station was nearly evacuated. A frantic woman came running toward Greg.

"He's in there. Jesse is in there! You have to get him."

"OK Ma'am. Slow down, who is Jesse?

"He is my son. We got separated during the evacuation, but I know he is still in there!"

"OK you go with Jules into the command truck and tell her everything you know," Greg instructed as Jules led her into the truck.

Meanwhile, Ed and Sam were working a tac plan as Spike got Babycakes rolling.

"Spike you head to the bomb at the Bay South Concourse and tell us what we are looking at. Sam will head to the other location to gather info on that one."

"Copy," said Spike as he and Babycakes made their way to the bomb which was located near a trash can. It was in a black trash bag that was next to a load bearing wall. "OK guys, the good news is that it does not look like it is on a timer. Babycakes is doing a scan so have a better idea what we are dealing with. Sam what do you have?"

"Spike, I don't see any timer on this device either. I can't see much because it is enclosed in a piece of luggage."

"OK, well it looks like this one has a boatload of TNT and RDX with a small blasting cap. It appears to be attached to a detonator," reported Spike.

"That doesn't sound bad, does it?" said Greg.

"It is a pretty simple bomb, but I have to get in there to see if I can detach it from the detonator to render it safe for removal. It appears that the detonator may have a very delicate trigger."

"What kind of detonator? Does this mean that the bomber is within a close range?" asked Greg.

"I can't tell for sure until I get in there, but it is possible that he is not far away. And it does not appear to have shrapnel. Sam, Babycakes and I are on our way," reported Spike.

"So what is the end game here," pondered Greg. "It isn't carnage, maybe it is simply destruction."

"Hey, Boss," came Jules' voice over the headset. "Mrs. Landry tells me that she and her 7 year old son were separated during the evacuation, but that she has spoken with all of the uni's near the building and nobody saw him exit. She is convinced that he still in the building."

"OK Jules, you stay with her," said Greg.

Ed's voice boomed over the headsets, "Sam, Raf and I will search the building while Spike works on the bombs."

"Copy that...Go careful," said Greg with resignation in his voice. "Spike, can you tell us anything about our subject from the bombs?"

"Boss, it is tough to say. I am looking at Sam's bomb now and it appears to be constructed similarly to the other one. This is pretty basic stuff. TNT and RDX with a blasting cap detonator. Not sophisticated, but one designed for a big explosion. This bomb is also located near a load bearing wall. I think the target might be building. It almost looks like a demolition bomb, you know, one of those used to bring buildings down."

"Can you disarm it?"

"Yes, but it will take bare hands and a little time. Whoever built this wrapped it in wires, so it is difficult to determine which one to cut," Spike answered then waited for a go ahead from Greg.

Greg rubbed his forehead as it wrinkled with tension, "OK, Spike do what you have to, but keep me posted."

"Copy that."

Greg entered the command truck where Jules was trying calm and comfort the hysterical Mrs. Landry. "Mrs. Landry, I am Greg Parker. I want you to know that I have officers in the building searching for Jesse. Is there anything we should know that might help us find him?"

Between sobs, Mrs. Landry responded, "I don't think so. He was holding my hand and the next thing I felt was him being pulled away. I tried to go back and find him, but there were too many people pushing the other way. Oh please you have to find him. He is my life!"

"OK, Mrs. Landry, you stay here with Jules and I will let you know what we find," said Greg exiting the truck. "Status Spike!"

"Working on it, Boss. This guy loves his copper wire," answered Spike slightly exasperated.

"What kind of copper wire?" asked Greg.

"Small gauge, electrical, like they use in construction," answered Spike. "I think I got it," he announced.

"Wait, Spike, you think?! Take your time these are not on a timer...you got time. Be sure," cautioned Greg, his concern evident in his voice.

Spike had already cut the wire, "Done. Bomb disarmed. Moving back to the first one." Spike gathered his gear and went back to the first bomb.

Mrs. Landry was sitting in the truck with Jules who had tapped into the security cameras at the station so she could monitor her team's activities. "Wow, he is really good," Mrs. Landry said in amazement as she watched Spike disarm the first bomb and then jog to the other bomb.

"He's the best," said Jules offhandedly as she continued to monitor the rest of Team One.

As Spike was starting on the bomb, Sam's voice was heard on the head set, "Spike, I think I found another bomb. This one is next to a load bearing wall, also."

Spike's head snapped up. "OK, Sam, I will be there as soon as I render this one safe. You go find the boy." Then mumbling under his breath, Spike said, "More freaking wire." As he was delicately unraveling the wire a thought hit him. "Hey, Boss?"

"Yeah, Spike, what is it?" asked Greg anxiously.

"I just had a thought. These bombs have earmarks of someone who has been around construction demolition and has experience with electrical work and they are all placed near load bearing walls."

"Yeah... go on."

"Well, this station is under construction and there would be lots of electrical work necessary in a train station. If our guy is targeting the building, maybe he is a disgruntled construction worker or electrician."

"Good thinking, Spike. Jules..."

"I'm on it, Boss," said Jules.

Ed, Sam and Raf emerged from the building and approached Greg. "Boss, there is no sign of the boy in the building," reported Ed.

"OK, thanks guys," said Greg.

"Second bomb, disarmed. Heading to the third and hopefully, final bomb," announced Spike.

"Copy that... go careful, Buddy, I don't like this. None of this makes sense."

Jules voice came on the head set, "Boss, I spoke to the construction foreman and have a list of all company employees that have worked on this project, past a present. Could use another set of eyes to go through this long list."

"On my way," said Greg.

"Guys, this one is a little different," said Spike.

"How so?" asked Greg removing his hat and running his hand along his bare scalp.

"Well, this one has a timer, a rudimentary timer, but a timer. But it also has a detonator as a back up plan. And, it is much bigger... designed to take most of the building down," explained Spike. The bomb was positioned near the center of the station located near the juncture of many of the train tracks.

"OK... Spike why don't you come out of there I don't want to take any chances. The building has been evacuated and it's not worth your life."

"NO! My son is in there. I know he is!" screamed Mrs. Landry.

Hearing the desperation in her voice, Spike said, "Boss, I can do this it just might take a little longer. The timer is set for 15 minutes. That should be plenty of time."

"OK, but if we get down to 3 minutes I want you out of there, copy?"

"Copy," said Spike beginning to disentangle the wires carefully.

Greg sat with Jules and started going through the list of names. About half way down the first page one name jumped out at Greg, 'John Landry'. He pointed to the name and showed it to the woman in the truck, "Do you know this person?"

"Um, yes, it's my ex-husband. He works for the construction company doing the renovations here. I didn't know he was on this project though. We have been divorced for almost two years now," answered the woman shakily.

"Boss, that is the list of former employees. People who have been let go in the last 30 days," informed Jules.

Looking at Mrs. Landry, Greg said, "I wish we had known this from the beginning."

"Mr. Parker, I swear I didn't know he was working here. I swear. Does he have Jesse?"

"I don't know," said Greg tersely. "Do you have a cell number for him?"

"Yes. Oh my God. If he has done anything to Jesse..." she handed her phone displaying her ex-husband's phone number to Greg.

Greg dialed the number and it was picked up on the first ring. "Hello, is this John Landry?" asked Greg as Jules started triangulating the signal to pinpoint his location.

"Who is this?" asked the voice on the other end.

"My name is Greg Parker. I am with the Police Strategic Response Unit. I was wondering if you had seen your son Jesse today. We are trying to locate him." Greg very calmly asked.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I have," answered Landry.

"OK. Good. Is he with you now?" asked Greg.

"He is safe...for now," muttered Landry.

"For now? Care to elaborate on that? Why 'for now'?" asked Greg.

"I made sure that he was safe."

"So are you responsible for what is going on at Union Station today?" Greg asked trying to prolong the conversation.

"Perhaps."

"If you don't mind my asking, why are doing this?"

"Why don't you ask my wife..."

"I'm asking you," redirected Greg calmly.

"She took everything from me and now she was going to take my boy away from me. I can't let that happen, so I am taking the only thing that she ever cared about from her," spat Landry

Spike continued to work diligently at disarming this bomb. It was taking longer because there were three times the number of wires on this one. He had to remain focused and be cautious.

"Boss, the signal is coming from the walkway between the train station and the bus station," reported Jules. Greg nodded.

"We are on it," announced Ed as he, Raf and Sam sprinted in that direction.

"Sending a picture of the subject," said Jules as the he sent the image to their PDAs. They caught up with Landry as he was descending the stairs into the bus station which had also been evacuated.

"Boss, the boy is not with him," said Ed, with desperation in his voice. They approached the man with guns raised.

"Gotta go, Greg. Some of your friends are here and they want my attention," announced Landry as he disconnected the call. Sliding his phone into his shirt pocket, Landry raised his right hand and showed the SRU officers that he was holding something in his hand.

"Where is Jesse?" demanded Ed.

"Why should I tell you? So you can give him back to her and she can take him across the country away from me? Ha ha I don't think so! If I can't have him, neither can she!"

"Boss, he has a detonator in his hand, he could set the bomb off at any minute. You gotta get Spike out of there," whispered Sam with urgency.

* * *

**A/N:** Will Spike get out of there in time? What about the boy, Jesse?

Thank you again for reading. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and stay tuned for some action, peril and angst in the next one.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: ** This chapter has a little action but a lot of angst. I am not a medical professional, but I did the best I could with that stuff.

"_Phrases in quotes and italics_" are thoughts.

"_**Phrases in quotes, italics and bold"**_ are text messages.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Flashpoint related except some DVDs.

* * *

**Knowing where you need to be**

**Chapter 13**

_Previously:_

"_Boss, he has a detonator in his hand, he could set the bomb off at any minute. You gotta get Spike out of there," whispered Sam._

"You hear that Spike? Evacuate...NOW," ordered Greg.

Standing up and looking for the closest exit, Spike said, "Copy that."

"Let's slow this down, John," offered Ed in a calming voice. "You don't really want anything to happen to your son, do you?"

"It doesn't matter, my life is over anyway. He might survive the explosion, you never know," said Landry distractedly.

"Nooooo!" screamed Mrs. Landry.

Spike stopped in his tracks scanning the area around him. "Boss, the boy is still in here?! Somewhere..." He scanned the area around him and then he saw a row of lockers near the center of the terminal. _"Were they big enough for a 7 year old?"_ he wondered. He ran down to the lockers and began calling the boy's name.

"Spike, you don't know that. You get out of there ...NOW!" yelled Greg in frustration.

Spike thought he heard something near the end of the row of lockers. As he ran to the end he was sure he heard whimpering coming from one of the lockers. "Jesse? Are you in there? I'm a police officer, I'm going to get you out."

A weak voice came back to him, "I'm scared."

"I know buddy, hang on," said Spike calmly pulling a tool from his belt to unlock the locker.

"Spike! You have 30 seconds on the timer and a man with a detonator!" Greg screamed in desperation.

"I know boss. Almost there!" Spike said as he managed to break the lock and opened the locker. There was a beautiful boy with blonde hair and blue eyes staring back at him with tear stained cheeks. Spike carefully pulled the boy from the locker. "Got him!"

"Spike, you only have 10 seconds," said Greg trying to control his emotions but pacing back and forth. He pulled his cap off and rubbed his bald head as the tension of the situation took over.

Meanwhile in the bus terminal, Raf came up behind Landry and managed to immobilize his hand and get the detonator from him. Sam took him into custody and the three officers exited the building with the subject in tow.

"Subject in custody," announced Sam.

9 seconds...

Spike knew there wasn't enough time to get out of the building and get safe. He had to find the safest place in the terminal so he headed for the tracks knowing there were crawl spaces that might offer some protection during the explosion.

8...

Trying to keep the boy calm, he said, "My name is Spike. I am going to get us to a place where we will be safe, OK?"

7...

Spike was running as fast as he could to the nearest track ….

6...

He jumped down on the track and saw a crawl space about 6 feet away

5... 4...3...2...

"SPIKE!" came the voices of Team One.

* * *

After the movie was over, Anisa put the boys to bed in her guestroom, giving them each a kiss on the head. Closing the door quietly she went back into the living room a turned on the TV to find an update on the Union Station bomb threat. It was nearly 9:00 and she was trying to maintain control of her emotions. She hadn't gotten a text back from Spike saying he was OK. Saying she was worried was an understatement.

The news report showed that there was still police activity at the station. She started to panic...she felt helpless. She knew she couldn't reach out to Jules or any other member of Team One but she had to know what was happening. She texted Winnie.

"_**If you get a chance, can you give me a status on Spike? Thx – Anisa"**_

"_**He is in the terminal. Defused 2 bombs working on 3**__**rd**__**. Will let you know as things change." **_was the response from Winnie.

"_**Thx"**_

Anisa gnawed on her fingernail as she watched the scene on the TV screen. The buzzer from the front door of her building pulled her from the television and she rose to let Ria in. As soon as Ria entered the apartment, she knew something was wrong.

"The boys are sleeping in the guest room," stated Anisa. Ria nodded and asked Cici to go check on them.

As soon as Cici had left the room, Ria turned to Anisa, "What's wrong?"

"The boys are fine. It's Mike. He is on the bomb call at Union Station …. I'm just worried. I know he is good at his job, but ..." Ria just wrapped the smaller woman in her arms both trying to gain strength from the other.

"We can stay here with you," offered Ria. "Or you can come back with us."

"No, no. I am good. You take the kids home and I will call you when I hear anything. I will be fine. Everything is going to be fine," she said trying to convince herself that it was true.

Ria and Cici carried the boys to the car as Anisa watched through a window. As they drove off, Anisa sunk to the floor in tears. _"Please let this end well!" _ she thought. "I can't do this again. I can't lose another man I love," she sobbed.

She had no idea how long she sat in that corner. So when her door buzzed she was pulled from her stupor. It was close to 10:00, _"Who could be knocking on my door at this hour?"_ And then a horrible thought came to her mind and she jumped up, remembering all of those visits from military people in full dress uniforms coming with bad news. As she passed through the living room on her way to her door, she saw on the news that the situation at Union Station was not yet resolved. She went to the door pressing the intercom, "Who is it?"

"Hey, Red, can I come in?" asked her partner, Ryan Lambert. She buzzed him in. He made it up to her apartment in record time despite his injured shoulder. She opened the door as he reached the top of the stairs.

"What are you doing here?" she asked bewildered.

Walking past her into the apartment, he said, "I didn't want you to be alone tonight."

Anisa looked into the rugged face that had been her savior and friend for nearly 10 years. She felt her shoulders droop a little and his arm was immediately around her for support. He led her to the sofa and sat her down and seated himself next to her. They were watching the news reporter on the scene update the situation:

"Police officers have a suspect in custody who was apprehended on the premises. However, the bomb situation is still not resolved."

As if on cue, a thunderous boom was heard in the background followed by two other explosions.

Anisa fell to her knees on the floor, her hands covering her face screaming, "NOOOOOO!" Ryan was immediately on the floor next to her holding her shaking frame next to him.

The reporter attempted to remain calm and professional so he continued, "It is believed that all of the civilians had been evacuated. It is unclear if there were any police or emergency personnel inside the structure which, as you can see, has been demolished."

Ryan turned the television off knowing that there would be no good news given and that right now she needed time. After about 30 minutes of uncontrollable sobbing, Anisa lifted her head and peered through puffy eyes at her friend.

In a shaky voice that was barely above a whisper she said, "He's dead, isn't he?"

Gently brushing a tear from her cheek he responded, "We don't know that. We don't even know for sure that he was inside."

She turned to face him her sadness turning to rage. "YES we do! Nobody could survive that blast. You saw it. And if he weren't in there when it happened he would have texted me to let me know he was OK. He's dead!" She screamed and began pounding hysterically on his chest.

He wrapped his arms around her pulling her close to him until she stopped struggling. His heart was breaking for her... for the second time in her life she had lost the love of her life. It seemed so cruel.

Finally, she withdrew herself from Ryan's arms patting his chest affectionately to let him know that she was pulling it together. She lifted herself up onto the couch pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. She stared at her cell phone on the table in front of her willing it to ring or beep or buzz or something. Ryan rose and went to the kitchen wracking his brain for ideas to console her. He returned with a glass of water and handed it to her. She shook her head 'No'.

"You need to drink this," he commanded softly. She took the glass and drank it and went back to staring at the phone. He picked up the phone and handed it to her saying, "Call or text someone."

Anisa looked at him and then at the phone. She took the phone hesitantly just looking at it in her hand as if she were not sure what to do with it. She glanced back to her friend who nodded encouragement. She stared at the key pad afraid to send a message...afraid to know the answer. Finally, she steeled herself enough to text Winnie, not sure she could trust herself to speak.

"_**Any word on Spike?"**_ her finger hovered over the send button for a few seconds...**SEND**.

She gripped the phone in her hand tightly, waiting... Ryan sat next to her and pulled her against his chest so she was reclining on her side while he soothingly stroked her hair. Several minutes later she felt the vibration of her phone in her had and it made her jump. She had a text message from Winnie.

"_**Not yet. Assuming u saw the news. He was in the building at the time of explosion. Will keep u posted."**_

She let the phone fall from her hand to the floor.

* * *

Team One was in a state of shock as the sound of the explosion echoed in their headsets. Sam turned to the nearest wall and pounded his fist repeatedly until his fist began bleed. Raf squeezed his eyes shut as a whimper escaped his lips. Ed stood stock still as a single tear trickled down his face.

The scene in the truck was more chaotic. Mrs. Landry was screaming uncontrollably as Greg ripped his headset off throwing it to the ground. He wanted to scream at Spike for not evacuating, but he knew he had to keep his composure and comfort the mother standing next to him. While he put his arms around the woman offering her both comfort and support, Jules silently wept for her friend.

Through tear filled eyes, Jules stared at the screen in front of her... at the glowing lines showing the schematics of the building that was now a pile of rubble. Suddenly she noticed something...a faint glowing dot. "_What? Could that be?" _she thought.

"BOSS! BOSS! Look, I see Spike's locator beacon."

Releasing the woman, Greg spun around and looked at the monitor. "Looks like it could be. Good work Jules." Picking his headset up from the floor and repositioning it, he began barking orders, "OK let's get some heavy rescue crews in there to dig through the rubble. Winnie, I need EMS on route and standing by. We don't know what we will find down there."

Mrs. Landry turned to Greg with desperation and hope in her eyes. "Does that mean that they are alive?"

"We don't know. I don't want to get your hopes up. It is unlikely that anyone could survive that explosion, but we will do everything we can to get them back here."

Greg stepped outside of the command truck searching for fire and rescue trucks. He found their leader and explained the situation to him. The rescue sergeant shook head his dubiously but asked Greg to send the schematic to his PDA and he would get his team on it.

* * *

Trying to regain her composure and think logically, Anisa picked up her phone from the floor and said, "I should call Ria."

As she was about to dial, Ryan gently placed his hand over hers to stop her. "And what are you going to say?" he asked softly.

"I-I uhh..." she stammer, "...that he is uhhh." She put the phone down and ran into the bathroom. Ryan could hear her retching behind the closed door.

"Dammit," he cursed running his hands through his hair in anger and frustration. He wished there was a way to take away her pain.

After a few minutes, the retching stopped and Anisa stood up. She rinsed her mouth out and threw some water on her face. She patted her face dry and looked at herself in the mirror. "Pull it together McConnell," she said out loud to her reflection. "You are better than this … you are stronger than this. You don't give up hope... EVER!" Taking a deep breath, she exited the bathroom just as Ryan was answering her phone.

"Hello?"

A shaky and confused voice said, "Uh hello? I was umm trying to reach Anisa McConnell?"

"Yeah. This is her phone. I am Ryan Lambert, her partner. You're Spikes sister, right?"

"Yes. Is she there? Is she alright?"

"Yes, she is good. Here she is," said Lambert handing Anisa the phone.

"Hi, Ria."

"Hi. I saw the news...Have you heard from Mike?

Pinching the bridge of her nose to hold back the tears, Anisa responded, "Um... no. But I did hear from Winnie that he was in the building when the explosions occurred. But that is all I know. Winnie said she would let me know if she hears anything."

"Oh God! No!"

"We have no confirmation one way or another about him. Until we know otherwise, we have to have hope, right?"

Exhaling heavily, obviously trying to remain calm, Ria said, "Right."

"Do your parents know what is going on?"

"I don't know and I don't want to call them until I have something to tell them."

"Yeah, I know. It's the waiting and not knowing that is killing me," said Anisa with sadness dripping from her words.

"Keep me posted, OK?"

"I will," said Anisa as she hung up.

Feeling a little stronger she stared at the phone in her hand turning it over a few times before she made her decision. She decided to send Jules a text.

"_**Jules, could you let me know if you hear anything about Spike? Please."**_

Within a minute she got a brief reply:

"_**We have a signal from his locator beacon and have a rescue crew working now. Will keep you posted...hang in there."**_

Taking a seat next to Ryan, she said, "I guess we just wait now." Ryan simply nodded, hearing the reservation in her voice.

"It's a good sign, isn't it?"

"It doesn't mean he is alive," she said, discouraged.

He needed to give her some hope, because sometimes that was all there was. "Who is the smartest person you know? And knows more about bombs than anybody else?"

She looked at him quizzically, "Spike...why?"

"You and I both know that brute strength wouldn't necessarily help someone survive that blast. Someone would have to understand the size and direction of the blast and what would be the safest location in that situation. That person would be..."

"...Spike," she nodded her head slowly, but still with a look of sadness and disbelief.

"You gotta believe...you gotta have hope, Red," said Ryan pulling her against his chest hoping she could fall asleep. He knew that tomorrow would be hell no matter the outcome.

She nodded her head and mumbled, "Not all fairy tales have happy endings." She closed her eyes trying to convince herself that if she fell asleep she would wake up an this would all be a dream.

* * *

The rescue crew worked for hours trying to remove the rubble from the location from which signal was coming. Team One paced around the trucks as Jules sat with her eyes glued to video screen to make sure that he beacon did not move. Greg continued to console Mrs. Landry.

Finally, the Chief of the rescue team called out to his team for specific tools and there was a rush of activity in the area where they were digging. They could no longer use heavy machinery to remove the rubble. From here on in it had to be manual. There must have been 30 men and women working to remove the rubble.

After another hour of digging by hand one of the rescuers shouted, "Hey Chief , got something here." Team One was on high alert and approached the workers but were waved away and reluctantly backed off to allow them to do their jobs.

The Chief made his way to the location and looked at what his colleague was pointing to. It appeared to be a curved structure. "Guys, it looks like the train tunnel. We will need to break through it, but we need to do that several feet from where the beacon is emanating … to protect the safety of the victims in case of further collapse." He continued to bark orders to his team for them to retrieve pieces of equipment and take positions all the while preparing the medical teams to be on standby.

The team was in position preparing to break through the tunnel with a jackhammer. A few minutes later the call came that they had broken through the tunnel. When the opening was wide enough to bring the victims topside, four men and two stretchers were lowered into the hole in search of Spike and the boy. As the first rescuer's foot hit the ground he heard a weak voice, "Help...please!"

"We're coming, buddy. What's your name? Are you OK?" called the rescuer making his way in the direction of the voice.

"Jesse...hurry," said the boy sobbing. "There's a lot of blood."

The rescuers increased their speed and made it to the alcove from where the beacon was coming to find it was filled with rubble.

"Jesse? I'm Frank, can you hear me?"

"Yes," whimpered the boy.

"Hang on we are gonna get you out," said Frank as the four men worked feverishly to remove the debris and reach the boy. When the had discarded enough of the rubble they saw the black uniform of an SRU officer but they could not see the boy.

"Jesse, how ya doing?" asked Frank as the team continued to pull debris from the opening of the alcove.

"It's dark, I can't see anything, I can't move and my... my arm hurts," he replied.

The rescuers were at a loss as to why the boy couldn't see anything because they had strong lights on their helmets. The answer to that question was revealed once they had uncovered enough of Spike's body. What he saw, made Frank shake his head in disbelief. The only visible evidence of the boy was the tail of his striped shirt which was sticking out from behind Spike's uniform. Spike had wrapped his body completely around the boy, enveloping him in safety. Although they couldn't assess his injuries, they saw a great deal of blood around his head and neck area. Frank carefully reached up and touched Spike's neck checking for a pulse holding his breath as he searched for one. His hand came back covered in blood. He saw a piece of metal protruding from the back of the officer's neck.

Speaking into his radio, "Chief, the officer has significant injuries and is not conscious, but he is alive although his vitals are weak. The boy is alert and responsive appears to have only minor injuries. Get a bird in the air. Once we disengage the officer he will need to be airlifted out to a trauma unit."

Now speaking to the boy, "OK, Jesse, we see you and we are going to get you out, but we have to do that carefully so we don't hurt you or this officer any further. So, I'm going to need you to be strong and brave while I try to help this officer, OK?"

"Spike...his name is Spike...and OK I will be brave," said Jesse.

Frank and the rescuers slowly loosened Spike's grip on the boy lifting him onto a backboard stretcher. Two of them carried him back to the hole in the tunnel where other rescue workers carefully pulled him out to a waiting paramedic who immediately got to work assessing his injuries. Frank carried the boy to the same hole and strapped him into a harness to be lifted out as well.

Team One pressed closer to the paramedics trying to get a status on Spike. Paramedic Steve, who was working on Spike, pulled some equipment from his bag and then intentionally blocked Team One's view as he cut through Spike's clothing not wanting them to see what he did next. He sterilized the skin on his chest and then stabbed a long wide-gauged needle into his chest cavity relieving the pressure. Then Steve placed an oxygen mask on him and then began working on the injury to his neck.

Jules looked up as she heard the rotors of the approaching helicopter. Meanwhile, Greg ensured that Mrs. Landry was reunited with her son who was being treated by a paramedic.

"Ma'am, your boy was very lucky. He appears to have a broken arm and a cut on his forehead that may require stitches. We will transport him to Sunnybrook via ambulance. He will also need some X-rays, but he should be just fine," informed the paramedic. She was barely listening as she held her son close kissing his face and saying prayers of thanks.

Greg returned to Team One, hopeful for a status on Spike. He saw them loading Spike into the helicopter and Steve climbing in, as well.

"How's my guy?" asked Greg not even trying to hide the panic in his voice.

"Not good, Greg. Got a collapsed lung and some internal injuries. He has lost a lot of blood. I don't know the full extent yet," answered Steve gravely. "We are heading to Sunnybrook Trauma, if you want to meet us there. There isn't room for another person here."

Greg nodded, saying, "Thanks, Steve, we'll see you there." He jogged back to his team and told them the news. They piled into the trucks heading to the hospital. Jules took her phone out and dialed Anisa's number.

* * *

A/N: Yikes... Hope you liked this chapter and hope it was believable. Stay tuned for a chapter full of angst...


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: ** This chapter is full of angst. As previously mentioned I am not a medical professional so I am taking some liberties to fit with the story.

"_Phrases in quotes and italics_" are thoughts.

"_**Phrases in quotes, italics and bold"**_ are text messages.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Flashpoint related except some DVDs.

* * *

**Knowing where you need to be**

**Chapter 14**

Anisa let her exhaustion take over and fell asleep with her head on Ryan's chest. He had managed to wrestle her phone from her hand and had placed it on his chest next to her head. In her restless sleep, she gripped his shirt with a mighty force twisting it in her tiny hand. Her subconscious was working overtime and causing her to tense up. Ryan stroked her shoulder in an attempt to soothe her. When the next wave of tension swept through her body, she again grabbed his shirt, squeezing it and twisting it in her hands. This time, however, she grabbed not only his shirt but a handful of his chest hair, twisting it in her grip. The pain was shocking and almost unbearable. When she twisted it again, he couldn't take it anymore.

"'Nis...wake up," he whispered trying to loosen her grip but she held fast. Her eyes slowly opened as she heard her name. "Red...let go." As the fog of sleep slipped from her brain, she realized what she was doing.

"Oh... sorry, Ry," she mumbled sleepily releasing her grip on his shirt. "What time is it?"

"It's about 3:30," he answered noticing her looking at the phone he had placed on his chest. As if willing it to ring, it lit up and buzzed with the caller ID indicated it was 'Jules Callaghan'.

Swallowing hard, Anisa picked it up, "Jules?"

"Hi, Anisa. They got him out. He is alive but in bad shape. He is being airlifted to Sunnybrook and we are on route," Jules reported waiting for any response from her friend, but all she heard was a shaky intake of breath.

Finally, Anisa answered, "I'm on my way. Thanks Jules." She hung up then turned to Ryan, "He's alive but being airlifted to Sunnybrook." Then looking for her purse and shoes, she added, "I gotta go."

"Hang on," said Ryan, "I'm driving. Now... you need to go brush your teeth and change your shirt." She looked at him quizzically and then he added, "You can thank me later...now go."

She did as she was told pulling her shirt off before she entered her room and dropping it on the floor. As they got into Ryan's car, she pulled out her phone and called Ria. She explained what she knew, then asked, "Are you going to call your mom and dad?"

She could hear the tension in Ria's voice as she answered, "Yeah... I guess so. I will probably drive over there and pick them up because I know mom would want to be there and she won't want to leave dad."

"Is there anything I can do?" asked Anisa. Although she wanted to be at the hospital, she offered, "Do you want me to go over and stay with your dad?"

"No... Mike would want you with him. I'll see you there. Stay in touch."

"OK. See ya." said Anisa hanging up. Ryan drove as fast as was safe and made it to the hospital in record time. As he pulled into the parking lot, he glanced at Anisa watching the expression on her face transform from fear and desperation to steely strength. _"Atta girl, Sparky,"_ thought Ryan.

Anisa got out of the car, stood up straight, pulled her badge out of her bag and placed it around her neck. Glancing at her partner, she gave her head a quick nod and they turned and walked into the emergency room. Entering the hospital, Anisa glanced around the waiting room looking for Team One, but not seeing them, she approached the information desk.

Making sure that her badge was visible, she spoke to the person at the desk in a gentle but authoritative voice, "Hello, I am Detective Anisa McConnell. I am looking for Constable Michelangelo Scarlatti. I understand he was airlifted here from the Union Station explosion. Do you have any information on his condition?"

The nurse looked at her computer screen for information. "Apparently, he just landed but..." she looked at the detective across from her noticing her jaw set. "... they will be bringing him in soon. I don't have any further information. I will let you know when I hear something."

"Thank you. I would appreciate that," said Anisa with as much strength as she could muster. She and Ryan went back to the seating area and sat down. Anisa was restless so she stood and paced worrying about Spike, about his dad's reaction, about his mom...She snapped her head up as she heard a commotion coming from the entrance to the emergency room.

Team One came rushing in and Greg and Ed approached the information desk while the rest of the team held back stepping into the waiting room. Jules saw Anisa and walked over wrapping her in a hug, both understanding the the worry and fear that was running through their minds and bodies. Stepping away from Jules, she saw Greg approaching and went to meet him.

"Greg, what happened? Tell me what happened," asked Anisa pleadingly, trying to keep her emotions in check. Greg gently took her by the elbow leading her away from the group, wanting to spare his team from reliving those moments.

Once they were away from the group, Greg turned to face her and began, "The short of it is that we found three bombs. Spike defused two and was working on the third which had both a timer and a detonator. It became more complicated when we learned there was a child in the station and that bomber was holding the detonator. Spike went in search of the child and located him with only 30 seconds left on the timer...not enough time to get to the exit. He found an alcove in one of the train tunnels and hunkered down."

Greg paused for a moment at the sound of the ER doors flying open as paramedics came in wheeling a gurney and barking vital information to an approaching doctor. Greg and Anisa watched as they wheeled the gurney carrying a young boy whose mother trotted along side holding his hand. She glanced up and saw Greg and smiled weakly at him. He smiled back and offered a nod of recognition. The mother's gaze then turned to Anisa ans she noticed the tear stained cheeks and the look of worry in the petite woman's eyes. Noticing the protective arm Sgt. Parker had place across her shoulder the mother assumed the other woman was the wife of the officer who had been airlifted from the scene. She offered Anisa a warm and grateful smile. Recognizing who the woman must be, Anisa bit back the tears and smiled back at the woman giving her a nod of acknowledgment. Mrs. Landry and the boy continued down the hall with the doctors.

Greg turned back to Anisa and finished, "Rescuers found Spike and Jesse, the boy, in the alcove. The good news is that the boy seems to have only a broken arm and superficial injuries." Greg rubbed his eyes and then continued, "The paramedic said that Spike saved the boys life." Anisa's breath hitched in her throat as fear began to take hold of her heart. Greg went on, "His injuries are severe. He has a collapsed lung, broken ribs, probably a concussion and maybe some internal injuries."

Trying hold onto what little resolve she had left she nodded her head. Her voice cracked as she asked, "Did you ...um.. see him?"

"I didn't get to talk to him, but I saw them lift him out," answered Greg honestly. She looked into his eyes understanding what he was saying.

"Thank you, Greg," Anisa said giving him a brief hug then stepping way allowing him to return to his team. Her heart was breaking but she needed to remain strong. She was very reluctant to return to the waiting room so she stood looking out a window sorting through her thoughts. The waiting...the not knowing... was killing her.

Anisa heard Greg's voice greet Spike's parents. "Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Scarlatti," he said gravely. Glancing in their direction, Anisa saw Greg explaining Spike's condition to them. Mr. Scarlatti turned away, stone faced not wanting to hear anymore. All Anisa wanted to do was find a corner and curl up in a ball, but she knew she couldn't do that. She had to be strong for Spike's family. She saw Ryan talking with members of Team One and caught his eye. He gave her a knowing nod which seemed to be all she needed to muster the strength to do what she needed to do.

She approached the Scarlattis, seeing Ria comforting her mother while her father sat solemnly alone. Anisa pulled a chair over to sit next to Mr. Scarlatti who barely glanced at her. She tentatively placed her hand on his hand, drawing his gaze. In his eyes she saw anger, pain and fear. She tried to offer reassurance, but he looked away and slowly withdrew his hand from hers. Looking away, Anisa's eye caught Jules'. The petite brunette walked over to Anisa and placed her hand on her shoulder and squeezed it supportively. Anisa responded by placing her hand over Jules' and offered a smile. The silence in the waiting room was deafening.

The moment was interrupted by a paramedic entering the ER from a back door. Jules' saw that it was Steve so she tugged on Anisa's shoulder indicating she should follow her.

"Steve... how is he?" asked Jules.

Steve looked at his long time friend and then at the light-haired woman standing next to her. Jules noticing that Steve didn't know Anisa, she introduced them. A look of recognition came across his face as he remembered her from a rescue several months earlier. Of course Anisa had been unconscious at that time, so she had no recollection of Steve.

Steve smiled slightly at the two women and then began, "He is in surgery now. He experienced a cardiac event on the flight in. We had to stabilize him before he could go into surgery to repair the puncture in his lung and re-inflate it."

Jules looked to Anisa who appeared unable to speak and asked, "Steve, is he going to be OK?"

"Jules, I don't know. He is in pretty bad shape. He has lost a lot of blood and it depends on what type of internal injuries he sustained," he said sympathetically. "We should know more post surgery." Seeing the worry in her eyes, he rested a hand on her shoulder. "Jules, he is strong. I gotta believe he is gonna make it." Steve's radio squawked and he said, "I gotta go.. have faith." He then ran out of the building.

Sam came up to Jules inquiring what Steve had said. She returned to the group and relayed the information that Steve had given her. Anisa stood back and watched as the group listened intently and then reassured one another that everything was going to be alright. She needed to get away to think straight so she walked down the hall unnoticed, in search of a chapel.

There was something comforting about being in a chapel even though she was no longer terribly religious. She had been raised Catholic, so being in a church still felt like home to her. It was quiet and peaceful, so she sat in a pew looking at the altar and the cross... and breathing deeply. She said a prayer for Spike's recovery and then just sat there in the silence. Her mind began to wander. She closed her eyes as she thought of the first meal she and Spike had eaten together and how it had started out a bit rocky with her jumping down his throat for no reason. It had ended pleasantly... because he hadn't given up on her. She remembered the first time they kissed, or rather she kissed him tentatively. She had been mortified at her actions, but then he had kissed her back and it was awesome. She thought about how she had pushed him away and into Natalie's arms...but still, he didn't give up on her, as a matter of fact, he had professed his love for her. He had never left her even when she was awful to him during her recovery.

She opened her eyes and said out loud, "I'm not giving up on you either." She quietly rose and left the chapel glancing at the altar one last time before she closed the door. She walked into the waiting room noticing the quiet tension that had settled on the group. The Scarlattis were sitting quietly in the corner. Greg and Ed were standing with Ryan sipping coffee while Sam and Jules were huddled together on the other side of the waiting room. Raf was sitting alone apart from the rest of the group. Anisa remembered how much Spike had really liked Raf but she had not had a chance to get to know him yet.

She walked up to him and saw the look of trepidation on his face. "Hey Raf, you OK?"

"Um... yeah. How are you doing?"

"Good, I guess," she answered as honestly as she could. She could see there was more on his mind. "He is going to be OK," she comforted.

He nodded his head, swallowing his emotions. "We should have found him. I should have found the boy. If I had found him, Spike could have gotten out safe."

"Raf, don't do that. You can't begin to guess what might have happened," said Anisa taking his hand in hers and holding it tight. "You did the best you could, just like he did. Now we just have to have faith and hold onto each other." Raf looked into her dark blue eyes and put his arm around her trying to believe her.

A doctor, a surgeon to be exact, entered the waiting room holding a chart. "Family for Michelangelo Scarlatti," announced the doctor. The entire waiting room stood and approached the doctor and his eyes grew wide as the group closed in on him. Greg stepped to the forefront leading Mr. and Mrs. Scarlatti with him.

"I am Greg Parker, I am his sergeant and these are his parents."

The doctor seemed to relax a bit and then began his explanation. "Officer Scarlatti had a punctured lung which caused it to collapse. He also had a very serious laceration to an vein in his neck which has been repaired, but he lost a great deal of blood. He sustained a major concussion." Then, subconsciously dropping his voice, he continued, "He also experienced a cardiac event en route."

Anisa spoke up at this point, "What does that mean? What kind of 'cardiac event'?"

Looking at the petite, fair haired woman speaking to him, the doctor responded, "He experienced an arrhythmia... it was corrected in flight and we are hoping that there will be no residual effects. He also experienced spinal compression in his neck. We are hoping that we were able to alleviate the compression soon enough so there will be no lingering nerve damage, but time will tell." He waited a moment for the group to absorb all of the information that was given them. As he saw the understanding register on their faces he continued, "Now, the next 24-48 hours will be critical."

Mrs. Scarlatti, who was on the verge of tears, asked, "Can we see him?"

The doctor's face softened as he glanced at the nurse next to him. "I'm sorry but he needs to remain as calm as possible..."

"Please..." begged Mrs. Scarlatti.

"OK...only immediate family members and one at a time, for no more than five minutes," said the doctor looking at the group. Ria stepped to join her parents as they took a step closer to the nurse who had been at the doctor's side. Ria quickly turned her head in search of Anisa and grabbed her arm dragging her to her side. Michelina Scarlatti, smiled and nodded imperceptibly at the gesture as the doctor looked at the contrast of the fair complected woman next to the olive complected Italian family. He raised a questioning eyebrow.

"We are his sisters," said Ria confidently.

"Really?" he asked in disbelief.

"Yep...genetics are a crazy thing." she answered with a smirk.

Jules bit back her smile at Ria's nerve, but she also understood the motivation and agreed wholeheartedly that Spike would want Anisa there.

"The rest of you, I suggest you go home, get some rest. We will know more tomorrow," said the doctor.

The nurse looked at the 'Scarlatti's' and said, "OK, follow me please," as she led the group of four down the hall to the Intensive Care Unit. The nurse slowed as they approached a door near the end of the hall and turned to the family. "I have to warn you, your loved one has been through a traumatic event and very serious surgery. I do not want you to be shocked when you see him, so prepare yourself."

Mr. Scarlatti approached the door first. He took two steps into the room and stood still staring at his son. He closed his eyes and lowered his head and without walking any closer he turned and left the room. Michelina Scarlatti looked pleadingly at her husband as he exited the room and walked to the end of the hall. Spike's mom chose to enter the room rather than follow her husband, so Ria went after her father.

Mrs. Scarlatti walked slowly to the side of the bed and stroked the side of her son's face. Speaking to him in Italian she told him how she had prayed for his safety and was so thankful that he was alive and how much she loved him.

Anisa was seated in one of the metal chairs outside of the room preparing herself for the worst when she heard some voices from the other end of the hall. Looking up, she saw Ryan speaking with a nurse who was obviously trying to prevent him from coming down into the ICU. As Anisa walked in that direction, she heard Ryan explaining that he only wanted to talk to one of the family members and not a patient.

In an effort to ease the situation, Anisa said, "Hi, Ryan." The nurse quickly turned to see her and then backed off.

"Hey," he said. "Listen, the rest of the team is going home. How is he?"

"I haven't been in to see him yet. Why don't you go home. I think I am going to stay here."

"I am not going to leave you here with no ride home. I will wait in the waiting room," responded Ryan.

Anisa wrapped him in a hug squeezing him tight. "No, you are going home to your family. You are going to get some rest so that you can come back and take care of me tomorrow... if I need it."

Ryan gave her sideways glance, "How are you going to get home?"

"Ry, just as you belong with your family, I belong with mine. My family is in that room and I am not leaving."

"I..." he started but was interrupted by Anisa.

"You took care of me last night when I needed you. You got me through the worst of it. You are always there when I need you and you always will be. I know that. But I am good now. I belong here and you belong with Mel."

Ryan knew that there would be no arguing with this stubborn Irishwoman so he kissed the top of her head and said, "Call me if there is a change...I will see you tomorrow."

"I will," she said then kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks for everything." They both turned and headed in opposite directions down the hall when Anisa stopped and asked, "Any word on the boy? That is gonna be the first thing he's gonna want to know."

Ryan nodded and answered, "Broken arm, hairline fracture to the clavicle and some cuts and bruises. Nothing major. He will be fine."

Smiling, Anisa said, "Thanks, big guy." She returned to the spot by Spike's door. His mother had come out and was standing quietly with her husband who was sitting in the chair Anisa had occupied. Anisa stood leaning against the wall her hands in her pockets not knowing what to say to them. After a few minutes, Ria emerged from the room trying to hide her visibly shaken emotions. As she approached her parents, her father began a coughing fit so she ran to his side and threw her arm over his shoulder.

"Why don't you take them home to rest. It has been a long night and day," suggested Anisa.

"I can't leave you here by yourself. Are you going home?" Ria said with concern in her voice.

Feeling somehow stronger, Anisa replied, "I'm staying here and I am fine. You have a family to go home to, I don't."

Ria looked from Anisa to her parents and knew that her father needed to get home so she reluctantly nodded her head. "OK...but call me if there is any change."

"I promise" said Anisa, giving the other woman a departing hug.

As they proceeded down the hall, Anisa turned toward the door and braced herself for what may lay inside. She slowly opened the door taking a tentative step inside and was immediately struck by how quiet and loud it was at the same time. There were no human or natural sounds at all, however the machine generated sounds were very present. There was the steady beat of the heart monitor - _"That is good, right?" _ she thought to herself. She heard the loud whirring and whooshing of the breathing machine. Other than that, there were no sounds, no sign of life. She brought her eyes to the bed and the form lying in it and she thought he looked so small. He wasn't big like Ed or Ryan, but she had never thought of him as small. Her eyes continued up the bed as she watched his chest rise and fall mechanically. She saw the tube protruding from his mouth and how it distorted his face into an almost freakish grimace. Then she noticed that part of his head had been shaved and there was a gruesome row of stitches running along the base of his neck and partially up the side of his head. She found herself suppressing a smile because they only shaved part of his head and it looked funny. _"He is not going to be happy about that,"_ she thought. His face looked scruffy with a 5 o'clock shadow and she knew he wouldn't like that either.

She stepped to the side of the bed gazing at his face. It looked so unlike him...it was empty and emotionless. She had never seen him like that before. His skin looked pale and his eyes a bit sunken. There were small scattered abrasions on his face... they almost looked like freckles to her.

"Ciao, bello," she said in a voice barely above a whisper. "Babe, I was so scared. I know I should have been stronger...better, but the thought of losing you scared me to the core. I was afraid of how much I would miss you...everything about you. The way you know when I need you to give me guidance and the way know when to keep your mouth shut. The way you can always make me laugh, no matter how angry I am."

She touched the space between his eyebrows and said, "I would miss the way you get that deep crevice right here, when you are thinking really hard." Then she moved her finger to the side of his forehead, "I would miss the way that vein right here sticks out when you are angry or frustrated." She then slid her finger down to his cheek touching the outline of where his dimple would be, "And oh God how I would miss those dimples that turn your beautiful face into a map happiness and joy when you smile." She reached over and kissed the place where his dimple lives. Tracing her finger down to the corner of his mouth which was largely occupied by the breathing tube, she said in a very husky voice, "And.. oh those lips …" she brought her face closer, "those lips that electrify me and bring me so much pleasure." She brought her lips to his, kissing only the side of his mouth because of the tube. Her lips lingered there as she savored the feeling of the moment.

"Ah-hem," the doctor cleared his voice, yanking Anisa back to reality. She hadn't heard the door open so she had no idea how long he had been there.

Standing up, trying to ignore the awkwardness of the moment, she said, "Uhhh...Umm...Hello, doctor."

"You are not really his sister, are you?" he questioned.

* * *

A/N: Will the doctor kick her out? What will happen with Spike? I hope you liked this short chapter. I think the next chapter will be up soon...I hope.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: ** This chapter was originally part of the previous chapter, but it got way too long. I hope that there is enough 'meat' in this one to keep your interest. As previously mentioned I am not a medical professional so I am taking some liberties to fit with the story.

"_Phrases in quotes and italics_" are thoughts.

"_**Phrases in quotes, italics and bold"**_ are text messages.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Flashpoint related except some DVDs.

* * *

**Knowing where you need to be**

**Chapter 15**

_Previously_

_["Ah-hem," the doctor cleared his voice, yanking Anisa back to reality. She hadn't heard the door open so she had no idea how long he had been there. _

_Standing up, trying to ignore the awkwardness of the moment, she said, "Uhhh...Umm...Hello, doctor."_

"_You are not really his sister, are you?" he questioned._]

Bowing her head slightly, she said honestly, "No, sir, I am not."

"Then who are you? You are not his wife..."

"No, sir, I am not. We aren't married." Pausing a moment before continuing, "I guess you would call me his 'girlfriend'." She hated that term... it sounded so high-school.

The doctor looked at Anisa closely and just said, "So, how do you think he is doing?"

Surprised that was the end of the questioning and even more surprised he didn't just throw her out, she was caught off guard. She looked at Spike and then replied, "Uh .. .well, he is pale, which I guess is due to the blood loss. He looks really weak, but his heart seems to be strong and steady."

The doctor looked at Spike's chart and said, "That is a good assessment. His heart is strong and steady and honestly that was my biggest concern when he first arrived. Now we need to keep a close watch on his breathing. The hope is that by later today or early tomorrow that most of his breathing will be on his own." Anisa looked at the doctor questioningly. The doctor pointed to the monitor attached to the breathing machine and said, "You see those numbers there, they indicate how much of his breathing he is doing on his own. Right now his is taking about 20% of his breaths on his own and the machine is doing 80% of the work. When he gets to 85% on his own, we should be able to remove the breathing tube."

Anisa bit her lower lip trying to subdue her smile at the hopeful news. She involuntarily brought her hand to touch Spike's arm which was the closest thing to her. She wanted to feel his skin on hers, even in a casual manner.

"If you want, I might be able to convince one of the nurses to bring a chair in here so you can spend some time with him," said the doctor.

"Really? I would really like that. But I thought you said we could only visit for a couple of minutes?" questioned Anisa.

The doctor's eyes softened a bit and he opened his mouth to say something and then thought better of it. Looking away he said, "I believe that there are other things that speed healing as much, if not more, than medicine." He turned and looked into her eyes and continued somberly, "Last year I lost my wife of 25 years to cancer. She was the love of my life and not a day goes by that I don't wish that I had one more day … on more minute with her. I would never want to deprive someone of a moment with somebody they love."

Anisa felt the familiar pang of heartache as the doctor revealed his story, "Oh... I am so sorry for your loss." She knew what it was like to lose the love her life. As a gesture that came naturally, she reached out and placed her hand on his.

He offered her a gentle smile as he placed his other hand on top of hers, "I think you two will have many years to spend together." He turned and walked out of the room.

Anisa looked at Spike and felt her heart put more at ease by the doctor's words. "You see, Babe, the doc says we will be together along time." She gently stroked the side of his face as she continued, "I hope he is right, because I would like that." Then kissing the side of his face near his ear she whispered, "I hope that is what you want, too."

Stepping away from the bed, Anisa walked over to the window and looked out at the dreary grayness. When she had left her apartment in the wee hours of the morning it was darker, now it was midday and the sky was not much brighter. She was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of the door opening. She turned to see a nurse walking in with a padded chair.

"Where would you like me to put it?"

"Oh ... you can just leave it there. Thank you so much," said Anisa sincerely.

"You're welcome, dear. Doc Rogers has a soft spot for couples. He is a romantic at heart. Let me know if you need anything."

"Thanks, but I will be fine. I appreciate your kindness."

Anisa slid the chair over to the side of the bed and began studying all of the machines and monitors. She memorized the numbers so she could tell when there was a change. She paid particular attention to the breathing machine watching the numbers fluctuate with each breath realizing that it averaged the breathing numbers on a per minute basis to show what percentage of the work Spike was doing and what percentage the machine was doing. She pulled out her smart phone and began reading him the news especially the obscure stories because he loved reading about weird things. The time passed although she had no idea how much until the nurse entered with a small tray of food and water.

"I thought you might be hungry, since you haven't left here for nearly 5 hours," said the nurse softly.

"Wow, you didn't need to do that... but thank you. That was really thoughtful of you," said Anisa gratefully. The nurse simply nodded, made some notes on his chart and then quietly left. Anisa took a sip of water and looked at her phone deciding if she should call Spike's family... then there was Team One... and of course, Ryan would be worried, too. She really didn't feel up to speaking with anyone yet, thoguh. She decided a group text would be the way to go, so she sent a brief text to Ryan, Greg and Ria.

"_**Spike is stable and doing well. Still sleeping. Doc expects him to wake up to tomorrow. Will call you when he does."**_

She nibbled at the food that the nurse had brought her. All of the tension over the last 24 hours had her stomach in knots and feeling a little off. She walked to the window in time to see a stream of orange light poke through the grayness as the sun settled slowly below the horizon. As she sighed out some of the tension that had built up within her, she was surprised by the sensation of a tear trickling down her cheek because she didn't think she was feeling sad. Actually, she thought she was feeling rather hopeful. She wondered if the next time he was injured on the job... if it would get any easier. Her phone buzzed in her hand as a text message came through from Ryan.

"_**Glad to hear he's doing well. Are you eating? Drinking water? You have to take care of yourself. Will be by in the AM."**_

"_**Yes and yes. The nurse brought me some food. Thanks, for being you. 3"**_

As she bent down to stretch out her back, she noticed it didn't hurt as much. Of course, she hadn't even really noticed it was hurting at all, since she had been preoccupied. Standing back up she looked at Spike's face and smiled. Looking more closely, she thought maybe he did not look as pale as he had before. Glancing at the breathing monitor, she noticed that the numbers had changed a bit. It looked like they were indicating that he was breathing 65% on his own. "Oh, Babe, you are doing so well. Keep going!" she sighed kissing his cheek.

The nurse entered shortly after that with a cup of coffee and another snack for Anisa.

Accepting the food and drink, Anisa said, "Thank you for taking such good care of...us."

The nurse gave her a warm smile and said "That's why I'm here. How are you doing, honey?"

"I'm good. How does he look? I think he looks better. He seems to have more color in his face and his numbers seem to be improving," Anisa offered tentatively almost questioningly.

"I agree," said the nurse, nodding her head. "I'll be back in an hour to check on you guys. Let me know if you need anything."

"OK, thanks," said Anisa sitting back in the chair. She picked up his hand and laced his fingers in hers noticing that they felt warmer than before. She closed her eyes and dozed but was awakened by the buzz of her phone. It was a message from Ria.

"_**Thanks for the update. So relieved he is doing better. Want me to come relieve you?"  
**_

"_**No, I'm good. Stay with your family. He won't be awake until tomorrow. You doing OK?" **_answered Anisa.

"_**Yeah, I'm good, just stressed and Joe is being no help. He can be such a jerk sometimes."**_

"_You have no idea," _Anisa thought, but instead, she typed, _**"I'm sorry you, don't deserve that."**_

"_**You may be right. I'll see you tomorrow. Get some rest."**_

"_**Yep... you too."**_

A couple of hours later, the nurse came in to check his vitals and said with a grin, "My goodness what have you been doing? His numbers are way up. Look at that he is at 85% already. If he can sustain that for another hour, we can extubate him."

Anisa felt the smile grow on her face before she even realized she was smiling. "Really?" she asked with hope and excitement.

"His recovery is remarkable. I am not sure that I have had a patient who has made such a rapid recovery."

Almost to herself, Anisa said, "Yes, he is remarkable."

Hearing the love in the other woman's voice, the nurse asked, "What is he like?"

Anisa was a bit surprised by the question, but answered with a string of adjectives, "He is gentle and kind. He is funny and strong. He is loyal and loving and honest. Oh... he is brilliant, too."

The nurse chuckled at her description, "Sounds like the perfect guy."

Realizing she had been gushing, she said, "He is for me." The nurse smiled at her and simply nodded her head as she left the room.

Anisa flopped into the chair and rolled her eyes at her over the top description of Spike. "Geeze... you should have heard me blather on about you. I sounded like a starry eyed school girl talking about her first crush." A smile broke across her face and she chuckled at the thought that was rising into her head. "I left out that you are kinda hot..." she felt a blush creeping across her face as she said it. Settling into the chair she reached her hand to touch his … just to feel connected with him. She closed her eyes.

It was only a few minutes before her phone buzzed again. This time it was a message from Greg.

"_**Thanks for the good news. Glad you are able to be there with him. We will see you tomorrow. Call if there is a change."**_

"_**Will do. Thanks."**_

Anisa relaxed back into the chair, picked up his hand again and closed her eyes. The door opened and in walked the nurse and the doctor. Anisa opened her eyes and released Spike's hand.

Offering them a smile she said, "Hi."

"Hello. How is our patient doing?" the doctor asked.

"Pretty good, I think," responded Anisa looking at the breathing monitor. "He is still at 85% or a little above that actually."

"That is good news," said the doctor mirroring her hopeful tone. "I think we can remove the breathing tube and give him a chance to breathe on his own. We will continue to provide him with oxygen for the remainder of the night, however. It will take about 30 minutes to extubate him. I would like you to step outside while we do this, if you don't mind."

Anisa didn't want to leave him, but she also knew that she was not really supposed to be there in the first place, so she nodded, grabbed her bag and said, "OK. But call me if there is a change."

"Will do."

As Anisa walked into the hallway, she felt a slight queasiness come over her. She realized that she was working on very little sleep and almost as much food. If she was going to bring Spike home, she would need to keep her strength up, so she headed to the cafeteria. When she got there she saw that it was closed. Looking at her watch, she saw it was 10:00 PM, which explained why the halls were rather deserted. As she made her way back to Spike's room she saw some vending machines. She surveyed the contents and chose a package of peanut butter crackers (for protein) and a bottle of water. Once she had returned to the ICU, she took a seat outside of Spike's room and waited. Anisa inhaled the crackers and water and her stomach began to feel better.

The doctor emerged from Spike's room with a slight smile on his face. "He is continuing to improve and I expect that tomorrow will be a very good day. Once he wakes up, we can assess the status of his concussion and the effect on his nerves. You can go in now and I will see you tomorrow."

Anisa smiled and asked, "When you say nerve damage, what do you mean?"

"The spinal compression he experienced in his neck restricted his nerves. What we don't know is if there will be any residual effects. These could be anything from immobility in the hand to tingling or loss of sensation. We will know more tomorrow, so don't fret yet," said Doc Rogers with a reassuring smile.

Nodding her head, Anisa said, "Thank you." Anisa slowly opened the door and saw the nurse putting equipment away and turning off breathing apparatus. "Hi there, how is he doing?" asked Anisa weakly.

"Solid. He is holding steady, which is good. I will be monitoring him pretty closely for the next hour because if he is not able to sustain his breathing on his own, it will be evident quickly," informed the nurse. Anisa's eyes got wide with concern. The nurse then continued, "That is standard protocol. I expect nothing but continued improvement with him. Not to worry."

Anisa relaxed a little as she watched the nurse go about her business. "Can I ask you a weird question?"

The nurse turned and looked at the petite woman and said, "Sure. What can I do for you?"

Hemming and hawing, Anisa fumbled over her words as she asked, "Do you think it might be possible for him to get a razor or a clipper of some sort? I know this is strange, but when he wakes up he is going to hate the partially shaved look of his hair. I think he may want it all to come off before he sees his friends. I might be wrong, but if he does want it gone I would like to be able to help him shave it or trim, at least, it before they come to visit."

The nurse chuckled, "You don't think he is going to like the freaky Frankenstein look? I'll see what I can do. Why don't you have a seat and get some rest."

"Thanks," said Anisa with a smile.

Entering the room, she approached the bed looking at Spike. He was starting to look more like himself. With the tube gone from his mouth, it was returning to its normal size and shape. She gently touched his cheek at the location of his dimple and brought her lips to his.

"Mmmm... I like that," she whispered into his lips. "Soon it will be the real thing," she said more to herself than to him. She sat down and took his hand in hers kissing his fingers then resting them in her lap as she closed her eyes and relaxed. The next hour was spent dozing between visits from the nurse.

Finally the nurse said to Anisa, "He is looking good. His breathing levels are continuing to improve, which is great news. I will leave you to rest and will only return to check on him periodically. Alright?"

"Yeah, that sounds good," Anisa responded smiling eagerly. "I can't thank you enough for you kindness."

"Don't mention it. I am still trying to locate a trimmer for you. Good night." She turned to leave as Anisa thanked her again.

For the first time since the start of this ordeal, Anisa began to relax and believe that there might really be a happy ending. She thought about her life in the months since she had met him...how he had changed her...how she laughed more now...how she was actually able to feel again. It was all because of Spike. He really was remarkable. She began wonder how she could have been so lucky to have him in her life. He was the light in her darkness. _"What did she do to deserve him?"_ she pondered.

Anisa moved the chair even closer to the bed and positioned it so she was facing his face. With her legs pulled up underneath her, she fell asleep with his hand in hers and tucked under her face...thoughts of seeing him open his eyes tomorrow running through her mind. It was a peaceful sleep.

* * *

**A/N**: Hope you liked this little fluff. More about his recovery in the next chapter.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: **Sorry for the long delay, but the next chapter shouldn't take so long. This chapter is basically fluff so I hope you enjoy. As previously mentioned I am not a medical professional so I am taking some liberties to fit with the story.

"_Phrases in quotes and italics_" are thoughts.

"_**Phrases in quotes, italics and bold"**_ are text messages.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Flashpoint related except some DVDs.

* * *

**Knowing where you need to be**

**Chapter 16**

Spike felt a sharp pain in his chest and down his throat and then in a moment it was gone. He heard some voices, but they sounded miles away. He couldn't hear who was speaking or what they were saying. He tried to open his eyes, but he couldn't. He tried to lift his hand, but he was too tired. Then it all faded again and his world was dark and silent.

Later he felt a very light, slightly warm wisp of air on his hand. This time when he tried to open his eyes, they opened. He blinked a few times adjusting to the dim light. Looking around he determined he was in a hospital and the memory of the explosion came back to him. He looked down at his hand where he had felt the tickle of air. A smile crept across his face as he saw Anisa curled up with her cheek resting on his hand. He sat and watched her sleep for a few minutes thinking about what must have transpired. He knew how worried she must have been... He knew his family must have been distraught, as well. He thought about how lucky he was to have so many people who cared about him. He thought about how amazing she is … and beautiful. He still couldn't believe someone like her could be in love with him, but when destiny calls...

He gently stroked her face with his index finger. Her face twitched at the movement, then her eyes fluttered open. Squinting at the light, she felt his finger move again on her cheek. At the realization of what that meant, her eyes flew open and focused on Spike's face.

"Hey you," he said in a raspy, sleep filled voice.

"Hey you," she answered softly with a smile. Moving up to the top of the bed she kissed him. He parted his lips and drew her closer into a deep and passionate kiss. His hand tangled in her hair and he couldn't get enough of her. She didn't ever want to let go of him, but finally reason won out and she pulled away breathless. "I love you more than anything," she murmured nuzzling his cheek. Nibbling on his earlobe, she whispered, "You have no idea how happy I am to hear your voice and see your eyes."

Running his hand down the back of her neck and along her cheek bone, he said, "I think I might." He pulled her lips back to his. After a minute or maybe 10, Anisa finally pulled away taking a step back from the bed.

"Babe, we gotta stop!"

"Why?" pouted Spike.

"A number of reasons, the top two are that we are in a hospital and that you are recovering from a near death experience," she answered kissing the top of his head. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I was buried at the bottom of a building. How's the boy? How's Jesse?" Spike asked with worry in his voice.

"He is fine. He has a broken arm and a couple of other minor injuries, but no real harm."

Spike looked relieved, "Thank God. He was so scared."

Anisa beamed at him, "Hon, you saved his life." Kissing him briefly on the lips, she asked again, "Really...how are you feeling?"

"My head is killing me and so is my neck. Do you know what happened?" he asked. "I assume I have a concussion from being hit with debris, but what is with my neck?" he reached up and touched the wound on his neck. "Holy crap! What happened?"

"Whoa...whoa! Careful, you a have an incision over there. Umm … apparently there was a large piece of metal protruding from your neck when they found you."

"Now, I am gonna have nice scar to brag about," he joked running his hand along the shaved part of his neck and up his head, until he felt his hair and his face showed a look of shock. "What the heck? What is up with my hair? What did they do? Do you have a mirror?"

Anisa had to laugh because he was clearly more upset about his hair than he was about the gruesome scar that now decorated his neck. She dug through her bag and pulled out a pocket mirror and handed it to him.

"You have got to be kidding me. I look ridiculous!"

Anisa placed her hands on either side of his face, gently turning it toward her. "You are gorgeous," she said kissing him on the lips... "And you are alive!"

His look softened as he looked into her eyes and thought about all he might have lost. "I know, you're right," he answered smiling and touching the side of her face. "But you gotta admit, this hair looks stupid." Anisa just grinned and nodded. "I think maybe I should just shave it all off so it can grow back evenly, what do you think?"

"You wanna go all 'Ed Lane' on me?" chortled Anisa. "Haha...it is fine with me. Whatever you want to do." They were both silent and smiling at each other when the door opened and the nurse walked in.

"Well, well, look who's awake. How are we feeling?"

Anisa stepped away from the bed allowing the nurse to get closer to Spike and assess his condition.

"I have felt better, but I'm not complaining," he added looking at Anisa who offered him a smile.

After examining his incision and making notes on his chart, the nurse said, "You are looking good. Why don't you get some rest. The doctor will be here in a couple of hours and will do a thorough examination.

Spike raised a single eyebrow at her and asked, "Thorough?"

She chuckled at his insinuation and clarified, "Of your injuries." She turned and walked out of the room.

Anisa checked the time and saw that it was about 4:00AM. Walking back to the side of the bed she kissed him on the forehead and said, "Let's get some rest, OK?" She went to sit back in the chair and Spike caught her hand drawing him back toward him. She looked in to his chocolate eyes tilting her head questioningly.

"I love you... just thought you should know," he said.

Smiling, she said softly, "I know, Babe." She gave him a kiss on the lips then said, "I love you, too. Now close your eyes and get some rest." Not letting go of his hand she sat down next to the bed, curled up and rested her head on the side of the bed. Spike gently stroked the side of her face as he closed his eyes.

Anisa's eyes fluttered open and she saw Spike sleeping soundly and listened to his steady breathing. _"It is all going to be OK,"_ she thought and this time really believed it. She moved her head and realized that her neck was stiff from the peculiar position in which she had been sleeping. Sitting up, and straightening herself out, she felt like a crumpled up piece of paper. Careful not to wake Spike, she she unfolded herself and, standing up, stretched her sore body. She checked the time and saw that it was just after 6:00 AM. The only sound to be heard was the low steady beeping of the heart monitor and it somehow reassured her that all was good. She wandered over to the window, pulling the curtain back slightly. She gazed out over the Toronto skyline through the lightening blackness. A crease of light poked through the darkness offering a glimpse of life and activity on the streets below. Anisa found her mind wandering over the events of the last few days and months. She thought about how her life had been enriched by her relationship with Spike. For the first time since Sean had died, she felt like she was loved, part of a family...like she belonged. It was a good feeling. After Sean had died, she hadn't thought that she could ever feel whole again, but feeling like part of a family again had filled the gap in her.

"Whatcha thinking about?" came Spike's husky morning voice.

"Oh hey... Nothing really. Just watching the sunrise. Want me to open the curtain?"

"Yeah. You know how I love sunrises," he said with a little smile. She knew he liked to watch the sunrise because it was a sign of new beginnings and carried with it the hope of a new day. Pulling the curtains wider, she revealed the glow of pink light as it transitioned to lavender. Spike lifted his hand to her indicating she should come to him. "Sit with me," he said shifting the best he could with his sore ribs to make a little room for her. As she sat down, he placed his hand on her leg.

"The colors are magnificent," she observed.

"The pinks and purples are soft and gentle, yet brilliant," he added. Anisa chuckled at his commentary. "What? Why did you laugh at me?" he asked pretending to be hurt.

"I am not laughing at you. I was actually just thinking that you just described yourself...'soft and gentle yet brilliant'," she explained.

"Good save there McConnell," he joked, "but you should know better than to call a man soft."

Again she giggled and said, "Nice to hear your sense of humor is in tact." He pulled her down so she was laying on her side looking away from him out the window. She nestled in under his arm as he softly stroked her arm. They both closed their eyes contentedly and that was how the doctor found them when he entered the room about an hour later.

The doctor stood in the doorway for a moment looking at the couple before he made his presence known.

"Good morning, Mr. Scarlatti," greeted the doctor as he approached the bed.

Anisa's eyes flew open quickly trying to take in her surroundings. Realizing that she was laying in the bed with Spike she quickly hopped out trying to shake the sleep out of her brain.

Spike slowly opened his eyes and then felt a cool emptiness in the spot which Anisa had vacated. In a raspy voice he joked, "Hey, what's up, Doc?" Anisa smiled at his humor but was embarrassed for having been found sleeping in Spike's bed. She could feel the blush taking over her face.

"How are you feeling this morning?" Dr. Rogers asked.

Spike answered, "Not bad I guess. Kind of sore."

"Understandable. You came in here in pretty bad shape. You had two broken ribs one of which punctured you lung. We had to surgically repair the puncture. You also had a severe laceration and punctured vein in your neck that also required surgery," explained the doctor. He paused a moment, allowing Spike to absorb what he had told him thus far. He watched the Italian's eyes grow larger. "You obviously suffered a severe concussion, which is why you have a headache...right?"

Spike nodded his head and winced at a pang of pain. Dr. Rogers proceeded to conduct his examination while he continued to explain his injuries,"Those are the major injuries, but you seem to be on the on the road to recovery with them. My final concern is with your neck. During the explosion your vertebrae were compressed impinging the nerves that go to your right arm." Spike face went from a look of surprise to one of shock and fear. Continuing, the doctor said, "Over the next few days we will be assessing your mobility and sensation of your right arm and hand."

Spike looked at his hand, lifting it and turning it over to examine it. He then glanced at the doctor and then shifted his look to Anisa. She was standing behind the doctor chewing on her fingernail with a look of worry on her face. She knew how important his hands were to his work.

"Doc, are you saying that I may not have full function of my hand?" asked Spike

The doctor nodded his head solemnly saying, "Perhaps, but if past results are any indicator of future results, your recovery should be rapid and successful. I am very hopeful that the outcome will be positive."

Spike pursed his lips gravely and nodded his head. He took a moment to process what he had been told. He flexed his hand into a fist a couple of times to pay attention to the sensations and note whether or not there was a deficit. It seemed fine, although he did notice a bit of a tingling in his middle two fingers. Turning his attention back to the doctor, "OK. What do we do now?" asked Spike.

With a smile at Spike's 'get to it attitude' the doctor said, "Take it easy, cowboy. Right now we have to wait for you to heal a bit. But the good news is that we will be able move you to a regular room out of ICU a little later today." He looked at Spike whose expression didn't change so he turned to Anisa and said, "I will let you two visit for a bit while we arrange for the move." He turned and walked out of the room offering the couple a smile of encouragement.

Spike just looked toward the window thinking...wondering what he would do, if he couldn't be part of the SRU. He could always call the people at CSIS and see if there was anything there for him. Or, maybe he could 'consult' with the police force and teach at the university. None of those options sounded particularly appealing to him. _"At least his father would be happy. He would finally be getting his wish,"_ thought Spike sadly. He was so lost in thought he didn't see or feel Anisa come up beside him. She sat down next to him on the edge of the bed, picking up his right hand and kissing it. Turning to look at her, he ran his thumb along the edge of her lip. He smiled slightly as he thought how perfect it looked... not too full and not too thin.

"Mike, honey, don't worry. It is going to be OK. I can feel it... I know it." He nodded and looked away from her face. "Is there something you are not telling me? Does your hand hurt? You seem to be able to move it fine."

Gliding his index finger along her chin he said, "Yeah it's OK. Just a little tingling, nothing really noticeable."

She ran her hand through his hair and said, "Give it time, Sweetie. Your body needs time to heal." He nodded his head and pushed it back into the pillow, then closed his eyes hoping she was right.

A short while later he opened his eyes and saw Anisa sitting in the chair next to the bed holding his hand gazing out the window. Giving her hand a little squeeze he said, "Hey, Bella."

Smiling at him, she replied, "Hi."

She saw him lift his left hand as if to check the time on his watch. "'Nis, do you know where my stuff is? My watch and clothes?"

"Um... I think they are in this cupboard," she answered walking over to the cabinet. When she opened it, she saw a stack of clothing and a ziplock pouch containing his personal items. "Here they are. Did you want your watch?"

"Yeah, I think so. I hate not knowing what time it is," he said with a trace of melancholy in his voice.

Anisa picked up the bag with his personal items, but her eyes were drawn to the stack of neatly folded clothes and saw the dirt on them. She saw the collar of his shirt was brown with dried blood and noted that they had obviously been cut off his body. She closed her eyes trying to push aside the image of what he must have looked like. Reaching into the bag for his watch, her hand withdrew the memorial bracelet that bore the name "Lewis Young". Rubbing her thumb along the engraving she thought about how he must have felt that day, when he lost his best friend...his brother. She walked over to the bed carrying the bag. She fished out his watch handing it to him.

"Wow," he said looking at the face of the watch which now had a several large cracks in it. "It looks like it is still ticking, though."

"Just like you," joked Anisa watching him place the watch on his left wrist. He fumbled a bit trying to feed the band through the clasp. She watched as he tried again and then again. He pulled his eyes square with hers...a look of fear and dread encompassing his face.

"Let me help you," she said reaching for the band. As he drew his hand away they both noticed that is began to shake faintly. He blinked hard then glanced away. Anisa took his chin between her thumb and index finger forcing his gaze to shift to her face. "Hey, listen to me... you need time to heal. Less than 48 hours ago you were buried under a mountain of rubble. You nearly died," she said swallowing hard. "Give your body a chance to catch up with your mind and your heart." She kissed his lips.

"But... what if..."

"We are not going there, right now. No 'what ifs'!..."Anisa interrupted, not letting him finish. She buckled his watch on for him and then put his Lewis bracelet on for him. She held his hand in hers and brought it to her lips, "Michelangelo Scarlatti, you are the most amazing man I have ever known and I love you more than anything." Kissing him firmly at first as if trying to make him understand and then more gently and sweetly. "We are going to get through this … together."

Spike gently touched her cheek then kissed her chin. "If you say so," he said trying to muster a smile, but it turned out more like a grimace.

The moment was interrupted by the nurse entering the room carrying a small bag. "Good morning," she greeted. They turned in her direction and greeted the nurse. Lifting the bag and handing to Anisa, she said, "I found that item you had requested, young lady." The nurse gave her a smile and wink.

" I guess you have heard the good news, we will be moving you to a new room. Your recovery has been more rapid than expected and Doc is very pleased. Do you have any questions for me?" she asked while busying herself with taking his vitals and making notes on his chart.

"Just one, when can I go home?" ashed Spike, then added, "No offense. You have been great."

"Ha ha, no offense taken. I can't answer for sure. I know that we will need to monitor your breathing and need to insure that your lung is healing properly. That will take a couple of days. During that time we will assess your nerve injuries, as well. Once you get moved to the standard room, we will get you up and moving which should move things along." She hung up the chart upon which she had been making notes. She turned to Anisa and said with a grin, "Let me know if you need help with that," as she nodded her head in the direction of the bag she had handed her.

"Will do," responded Anisa with a smile as she watched the nurse leave the room.

"OK... what's in the bag?" asked Spike with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension.

Anisa pulled out the trimmer and with a wicked grin said, "Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Spike looked at her and got that gleam in his eye that usually indicated that he as up to something.

"Bring it on, Baby!" said Spike with a genuine smile. Anisa fetched a towel from the bathroom and draped it around Spike's shoulders then got to work. In less than 15 minutes she had reduced his head to a plain of stubble.

"Viola!" she exclaimed stepping back to assess her handiwork. Spike lifted his left hand to feel his freshly shaved head but winced in pain as the motion hurt his injured ribs.

Lowering his hand, he asked, "How does it look?"

"Not too bad. Now it matches, the stubble on your chinny chin chin," she said stroking his jawline lovingly. "If you want it any closer, you might have to ask Ed to help you," she teased fetching the mirror and handing it to him. He examined his head in the mirror with a uncertain expression then ran his hand over his newly shaved scalp.

"If it will make you feel better I will shave mine off, too," mentioned Anisa only half joking.

He flashed his eyes at her and said strongly, "Don't you dare!" causing her to grin.

Spike rubbed his chin feeling the sandpapery stubble, "Do you think I should shave?" His voice still carried a note of worry although he was trying to hide it. Anisa knew he was worried about the nerves in his hand, but she also knew that there was nothing he could do about it now. Time would reveal the outcome. She kissed his cheek then continued down his jawline until she reached his lips and lingered their until he began to respond to her kiss.

He reached up, touching the side of her face. "So is that a 'no' to the shaving question?" he asked with a dimple revealing grin.

"Heehee...stubble is so sexy," she giggled back at him. Their moment was ended by the nurse entering the room.

"Well look at you..." she said looking at Spike's new hairdo or lack there of. The interruption caused Anisa to step away from the bed carefully pulling the towel with the remnants of Spike's hair with her. The nurse continued speaking to Spike, "She could give up her day job and become a barber." Both Spike and Anisa chuckled that comment.

The nurse then brought in a tray of food for Spike, "Here is your breakfast, Michelangelo,"

"Uh... you can call me Spike," he glanced at Anisa who looked at where his hair used to be and they both chuckled at the nickname now.

"OK, Spike. Here is your breakfast. Don't shoot the messenger, but it contains only clear liquids since it is your first meal after surgery. Depending on how your body handles that, we may be able to upgrade you at lunch to a solid bland diet."

"I thought your job was to save me not kill me!" teased Spike.

"I know..these are just the rules, don't hate me. On the positive side, as soon as you are finished we will be moving you to another room," added the nurse as she walked out of the door.

Spike peeked into the bowl of brown broth grimacing, "This is cruel and unusual punishment." Anisa chuckled at his protest and aimlessly rubbed his now bald head. "So, are you liking the cue ball look?" Spike asked with a smirk as he forced a spoonful of clear brown liquid into his mouth.

"I'm getting used to it," she answered honestly kissing the top of his head. He continued to force feed himself the brown broth, but Anisa moved to the window to get away from the smell. It was making her nauseated.

Spike watched her move to the window and place her hand on the stomach. "You OK?"

"Yeah...the smell of that soup was getting to me. Sorry."

"Ha ha. Me too. I don't think I can eat any more of it," said Spike pushing the table away. "Come sit with me," said Spike softly.

Anisa walked over to bed sitting on the edge. She looked into his eyes sensing a question, "What is it, Babe?"

"Nothing. I'm just glad you are here."

"Me too, but you are not a very good liar. There is something else on your mind."

"I was just wondering if my dad came to the hospital."

"Yes he did. And your mom and sister," she knew he would be disappointed in his father's reaction so she tried to redirect him.

"Ugh.. I can just imagine what he said when he saw me,"

"He didn't really say anything."

"Figures."

"Mike, you …. you didn't look like yourself. You were in bad shape," she tried to explain.

"Yeah, I know," he said dejectedly.

"I should let them know you are awake," she said pulling out her phone.

Spike put his hand over hers to stop her, "Not yet. Wait 'til I am in the new room." He wanted just a few more minutes just with her. He reached up and ran his hand through her wavy hair. "Yeah, I definitely would not want you to shave your head." He pulled her head close enough so he could kiss her. "Mmm..."

"What?" she asked.

He quietly responded, "I was just thinking that I would really have missed kissing you if I hadn't made it out."

"You and me both," she said kissing him again.

* * *

**A/N:** Awww – Hope you all liked the happy ending to the chapter.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: **This is a short little chapter but is very important to the story. I hope you like it.

"_Phrases in quotes and italics_" are thoughts.

"_**Phrases in quotes, italics and bold"**_ are text messages.

**Disclaimer:** Still own nothing Flashpoint related except some DVDs.

**Knowing where you need to be**

**Chapter 17**

The nurse returned to take Spike's tray and told him that they were ready to move him to his new room. As they wheeled him out, Anisa walked along side and dialed Ria's number and informed her that Spike was awake and being moved to a new room. Ria said that she would be there shortly with her parents. Anisa then relayed the same information to Greg and Ryan.

The nurse got Spike settled into his new room and offloaded his chart to a new nurse saying her goodbyes as she headed back to her station in ICU. The new nurse introduced herself to Spike and Anisa as Sandy, then proceeded to check Spike's vitals and made some notes in his chart. Once the nurse had left the room, Anisa opened the curtain a little to let in some light. When she looked back at Spike, she saw his eyes looking heavy.

Giving him a kiss on the cheek, she said, "Get some sleep, Sweetie. I am going in search of some food." He was suddenly overtaken with exhaustion, so he simply nodded his head as eyes closed. After spending about 15 minutes searching for something in the cafeteria that looked appealing, she settled on toast and jelly. She was gone for about 30 minutes by the time she returned his room.

Opening the door slowly she peeked in seeing Spike sleeping peacefully. She entered the room and gazed out the window. She offered up a silent prayer that this incident might somehow bring Spike closer to his father, although she was doubtful. She was trying to remember what day it was when her phone buzzed in her hand. The caller ID said it was Cameron Stewart, and she thought _"Geeze, it must be Monday."_

Stepping outside, she answered her phone, "McConnell."

"Hey, it's Cameron. Just wondering what's up. You usually beat me in to the office. Everything OK?"

"Uhh... well no … not exactly," she stumbled over her words. "I'm at the hospital."

"Oh my gosh...what happened are you OK?"

"It's not me...it's Mike. He was injured on the job,"Anisa said. "Listen, I'm sorry, but I have to be here. I won't be in today. I'll call Duncan. I hate to leave you in the lurch like this, but..."

"Don't worry about it. I will keep working the case, just stay in touch OK? And I hope Mike is alright."

"He will be, thanks."

Anisa hung up and called Sergeant Duncan to tell him about Spike. Duncan told her that he already knew and that she should take as much time as she needed. He had spoken to Ryan and said that he was going to lend a hand to Stewart in the office, but not in the field since he had not yet been cleared for duty. That offered Anisa a small amount of relief, knowing that her boss understood her situation and supported her. As she entered Spike's room, she saw him sleeping soundly and smiled at his bald head. It was not a look she would choose for him, but it was good to know that if he should ever lose his hair that he would still look good. She sat in the chair and brought her knees up to her chest. Wrapping her arms around her legs she rested her head on her knees and gazed out the window, her brain swimming with thoughts of Spike, her job...her future.

Anisa's eyes opened at the sound of a gentle tapping at the door. She turned to see Ria poke her head in. Unfolding herself and trying to shake of her stiffness, Anisa got up to greet Spikes sister.

"Hi, Ria," said Anisa stepping into the hallway and seeing Spike's parents.

Mrs. Scarlatti took Anisa's hands in hers and asked, "How is he?"

"He's doing well. He is sleeping right now," Anisa reassured the older woman, gently squeezing her hands. She glanced at Spike's dad and saw worry and strain in his eyes. "He's going to be OK... really. You can go in and see him if you want."

Mrs. Scarlatti turned to her husband extending her hand as a sign he should follow her as she walked into Spike's room. He took her hand silently allowing her to lead him into the room with Ria right behind them. Anisa stayed outside to give Spike's family some privacy. She sat down in the small seating area near the nurses station and read and responded to emails received on her smart phone.

The hallway was quiet so she noticed when she heard a woman's voice approaching the nurse's station. Looking up she saw that it was the mother and boy from the explosion speaking with a nurse. Anisa's heart started to beat more rapidly as she was pulled back to that day when she didn't know if Spike was going to make it or not. She took a few deep breaths to calm it. Although she could not hear the words, she gathered that they were there to see Spike but had been told that he was visiting with his family now. As the pair walked toward the seats where Anisa was sitting, a look of recognition crossed the mother's face.

"Hello...um... are you here to see Officer Scarlatti?" asked the mother a little unsure of herself.

Anisa gave her a reassuring smile and nod saying, "Yes."

The mother was obviously feeling a bit nervous, "You don't know me, but … um... you see he saved my son. Are you his wife?"

Anisa shook her head no, then clarified, "We are not married."

"Oh...well, we were hoping we could see him, to thank him," the mother said. "How is he doing?"

"That's very nice of you. He is doing really well. He has some broken ribs and a concussion, but he should be fine with some time to heal." Then turning to the boy, Anisa said, "You must be Jesse. You were the first person that Spike asked about when he woke up. How is your arm?"

"A little sore, but I'm tough," answered Jesse.

"Yes, you are," said Anisa with a smile. "You know, Spike told me how brave you were, too."

The boy got quiet and said, "I tried to be, but it was hard. I was scared."

"You know, being scared doesn't mean you are not brave. When you do something even though you are scared...that's bravery. At least that's what I think," said Anisa.

The door to Spike's room opened and his father emerged and walked toward the seating area. In a deep dispirited voice he said to Anisa, "He wants to talk to you."

"Is he OK?" asked Anisa not able to hide her concern.

Mr. Scarlatti nodded his head as he sat down. "Yes. He's fine." Anisa rose and joined his mother and sister in the room

Mr. Scarlatti looked at the mother and boy sitting and offered a brief smile.

"Are you Spike's father?" asked the little boy.

"Yes," he answered with sadness in his voice.

"I am sorry that he was injured," said Mrs. Landry. Mr. Scarlatti just nodded his head but said nothing. "I think you should know that he saved my son's life. For that I will be eternally grateful. He is a very special man to do that... risk his life for a boy he didn't even know. You must be proud of him."

Mr. Scarlatti raised his eyes from his hands to look at her. He then turned to look at the innocent face of the boy sitting next to her with his arm in a sling. He had large expressive eyes that reminded him of his own son's eyes. He didn't know how to respond to her statement, so he simply nodded his head.

"You have raised a fine young man and taught him well. I would like thank him for going above and beyond, so that my son could have a chance to grow up."

Those words struck a chord with Spike's dad. He had never really thought about the people that Spike saved. He had only thought about the danger involved. Now he was looking into the light blue eyes of a child that, now, had a chance to live because his son made the choice to risk his life for the boy's. He felt tears hit the back of his eyes and was not able to speak.

Jesse then said, "He is my hero; he is like superman. I want to be just like him when I grow up." Spike's dad smiled at the boy's enthusiasm. "I made him a picture, wanna see it?"

"Sure," said Spike's dad blinking back the tears.

Jesse unfolded a piece of paper and showed it to Mr. Scarlatti. "That's me," said Jesse pointing to a drawing of a child with yellow hair and blue eyes standing with his legs apart and his hands on his hips in a superhero pose. Next to the boy, there was a man with spiky dark hair dressed in all black. He was standing in the same pose as the child and he had a giant blue "S" on his chest. Pointing to the dark haired figure he said, "That's Spike. The S is for Super Spike," he added with a big grin.

Mr. Scarlatti couldn't help but smile at the sweet face of the boy, "My son will like that very much."

The Scarlatti women and Anisa emerged from Spike's room. Anisa walked over to the Landrys and said, "I told Spike you were here and he is really glad you came. You can go see him now, but I should warn you that he looks a little different. His head is shaved and he has some ugly stitches on his neck. I don't want you to be scared because he may look kind of strange, but he is the same guy, I promise you."

Mrs. Landry looked at her son who nodded that he could handle it, "We won't be long I promise. Thank you all." They got up and walked to the door of Spike's room and slowly opened it.

Walking in ahead of her son, Mrs. Landry said, "Officer Scarlatti? I'm Alicia Landry. You have already met my son Jesse."

When Spike saw the boy peeking out from behind his mother, his eyes lit up, "Hey, Buddy. How's it going?"

"Hi, Spike. I'm doing OK. A little sore, but mom says I have to go to school tomorrow."

Spike chuckled and said, "Your mom is right, it is important that you go to school."

"I guess you're right," said the boy shuffling closer to Spike's bed. "I made you a picture," said Jesse handing the folded picture to Spike who took it and began to unfold it with only a little difficulty.

"Wow, this is awesome!" said Spike enthusiastically. "It's me with hair. And look it's my partner," he said pointing to the picture of the yellow-haired boy. "We make a great team, don't we buddy?"

The boy nodded with a smile then said, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, buddy," answered Spike.

"Were you scared?"

Spike swallowed hard and then looked the boy in the eyes, "Yes... I was. I was scared that I hadn't gotten us far enough away. Were you scared?"

Jesse nodded his head yes. "I was afraid that I would never see my mom again."

"Yeah, me too. I thought I might not see my family again, but you know what?"

"What?"

"I had faith. I believed that I had done all that I could do and that my calculations were right. I had faith that we would be OK and look... we are both OK."

"Your calculations?"

"Yeah. I knew where the bomb was and I did a qucik caluclation of the blast radius and what type of cover we would need to protect ourselves. It was rough, but I guess it was accurate enough." Jesse nodded with glazed eyes. "See that's why you have to go to school. That is where I learned math."

Jesse smiled at Spike and said, "I think I want to be a police officer when I grow up."

Spike quickly looked at the boy's mom to see her reaction. She smiled and nodded as if in approval. "That's great, buddy. I think you will make a good cop, even though you are a little young to be making that decision. It is certainly something to keep in mind and learn more about. Tell you what, if you have any questions about being a police officer you give me a call and we can talk about it."

"Really? I would love that," said the boy excitedly.

"You bet."

Mrs. Landry spoke up, "Jesse, let's let officer Scarlatti get some rest."

"OK, mom," he said giving Spike a quick hug, then heading for the door.

Mrs. Landry stood next to the bed and said, "Words escape me Officer Scarlatti... what you did for me, for my son. You saved his life and gave me back my life. I am grateful beyond measure."

"Mrs. Landry, I appreciate your gratitude, but I was just doing my job. Any one of us would have done the same thing. I am just glad that he is OK."

She knew he was just deflecting and trying to be modest, "Me too. God bless you and your family."

She turned and walked out of the room holding Jesse's hand.

* * *

Meanwhile, as the Landrys entered Spike's room the Scarlattis sat in the waiting area discussing how Spike looked. Spike's dad sat quietly contemplating what the Landrys had said to him.

Anisa heard familiar footsteps coming down the hall and walked over to greet her partner. The big man wrapped her in a hug kissing the top of her head.

"How is he doing?" asked Ryan.

"He's doing really well. He's in some pain and is very tired, but that is to be expected," she answered.

"How are you doing, Red?"

"I'm good...much better now that Spike's awake and I know he is going to be OK. Thanks for ….. you know...," she said smiling at his rugged face. She introduced him to the Scarlattis and the group sat and waited for the Landrys to finish their visit. Once the Landry's had gone, Ryan and Anisa went into Spike's room.

"You gave us quite a scare, Spike," said Ryan as he entered the room walking to the bed and patting his friend on the shoulder.

"Haha, me too," Spike chuckled back. "Should be good as new in no time," he added optimistically. "Hey thanks for being there and taking care of our girl."

"Excuse me... I am right here... I am not the collective 'your girl' nor do I require 'taking care of'," Anisa said trying to sound miffed, but really feeling loved by the two most important men in her life. Spike and Ryan both simultaneously rolled their eyes at her.

The trio chatted for a short while before Ryan noticed Spike suppress a yawn. "Spike, you are looking a little tired. How about I take Red home so she can freshen up and rest..."

"...I'm not going anywhere, Lambert!" barked Anisa.

"OK... so she can get her own car and she can come and go as she pleases? Thus, she will never have to rely on me or any other man again," he said sarcastically, but with a smile. She playfully punched him in he arm.

"Ryan, can you give me a second with her?" asked Spike.

"You bet. Take it easy, buddy. I'll see you soon." said Ryan as he walked out the door.

Anisa walked up to the bed and gently rubbed her hand along Spike's bald head. "You OK?" she asked.

"You are beautiful and feisty and pigheaded and I love you, but Ryan's right. You need to go home and get some rest. I am fine, I am surrounded by doctors and nurses," Spike looked into her dark blue eyes. "Babe, you need a break. Go home, rest then come back to see me, OK? Please," he implored.

Anisa stared at his face, studying every line. She didn't want to leave his side, but she also knew that she could use a shower and maybe some rest... maybe some real food. "OK, since you are kicking me out, I will go home. I'll be back soon, OK?"

Spike reached up and touched her cheek, then placing his index finger under her chin he drew her lips to his. "I love you. Come back soon, OK?"

"OK. Don't go anywhere," she said kissing him again, then murmuring into his lips, "I love you more than anything." She turned and slowly left the room.

Anisa asked Ria if she would mind if she went home and showered, because she really couldn't remember the last time she had taken one. Ria assured her that they would be there all day and that she would call if there was any change. Saying her goodbyes, she and Ryan left the hospital.

The Scarlattis looked into the room and saw Spike dozing off; they decided to let him sleep. The group settled comfortably in the waiting area. While Ria and her mother chatted, Mr. Scarlatti once again pondered the words from Mrs. Landry and Jesse. When they returned to the room, Spike was opening his eyes. Ria and her mom talked to him about his injuries, as well as other topics, but his father sat back not saying a word looking out the window. Spike noticed it too, so he suggested to his mom that she and Ria go to the cafeteria and get something to eat. They agreed.

"Pa, you want to stay here with Mike or do you want to come down to the cafeteria with us?" asked Ria.

"You go. I am tired and I will stay here with Michelangelo," said his father sitting in the only available chair as the women left the room.

Spike felt as though he should say something, "Pa, how are you feeling?"

Mr. Scarlatti looked at his son, seeing his now bald head, but seeing really the small boy he once was. He saw the innocence in his eyes as he had seen it in young Jesse's. Finally finding his voice, he answered, "I am fine." Then standing and taking a step closer to Spike, he said, "My son, I have loved you since before you were born and more as I grew to know you. I have not always agreed with your decisions and more than anything, I have been afraid to lose you. I had thought you selfish and careless for choosing this job. But today, I think I finally understand you. You gave a young boy his life back. You gave him a future, a chance to grow up and have a family of his own. I understand, now." Spike reached out and touched his father's hand. "I let my fear of losing you overtake and overshadow all of my other feelings for you. When I heard you were in the building during the explosion do you know what my biggest fear was?" Spike shook his head still holding his fathers hand. "My biggest fear was not that you may have died. No, it was that you may have died not knowing I love you ...not knowing how proud I am of you and the man you have become." A tear trickled down the older man's cheek.

"Pa, I know you love me..."

"Michelangelo you are no longer a small boy. You have become a great man and I am... sorry that I have lost this time with you." Shaking his head in sorrow, the elder Scarlatti continued, "Can you forgive me, my son?"

The tears were threatening Spike's eyes as well, "Ah Pa, I love you and there is nothing to forgive." Spike's dad bent his head down to kiss his son's cheek while Spike reached his arm around his father to pull him into a hug.

When the Scarlatti women reentered the room, both men were sleeping. Spike was in his bed and his father had nodded off in the chair.

"Figures," muttered Ria with a slight chuckle.

* * *

**A/N: **Hope you all liked this chapter and know why I said this was an important chapter in the story.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: **This chapter is all about emotion and emotional honesty. I hope you like it.

"_Phrases in quotes and italics_" are thoughts.

"_**Phrases in quotes, italics and bold"**_ are text messages.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Flashpoint related except some DVDs.

* * *

**Knowing where you need to be**

**Chapter 18**

Ryan drove Anisa home, traveling most of the distance in silence. Anisa finally felt relaxation come over her and closed her eyes. As Ryan put the car into park he turned to his partner and said, "Hey Red, we're here."

"Uughh," she groaned trying to muster the energy to get out of the car. Meanwhile Ryan had walked over to the passenger side and opened the door.

"Do you want me to carry you to your apartment?" he asked mockingly.

"God no!" she barked getting out of the car.

As she entered her apartment she was struck by the silence. It was exactly how she had left it...a glass of water on the coffee table...the Candyland game she had played with Ria's sons sitting on the dining table. Walking into the living room she relived the moment she thought Spike was dead. Ryan placed his hand on her shoulder knowing what was going through her mind.

In a voice barely above a whisper she said, "I was so scared...I thought he was gone." Ryan turned her into his chest and held her while she regained her composure.

"I know, but he is OK," he reassured her. When she pulled away, he said, "You gonna be alright?"

"Yeah, I'm good. Ryan...thank you doesn't seem to be enough,"

He kissed her forehead, "Shut up and take a shower," he said deflecting her emotion and trying to keep his 'big lug' persona in tact.

After he left, she walked toward her bedroom, she saw her t-shirt on the floor where she had discarded it that night. Picking it up, she wrinkled her nose at the odor...it smelled like vomit. Then she remembered getting sick that night when she thought Spike was dead and looking at the shirt she saw some unsavory splatter on it. _"Thank heavens Ryan made me change my shirt." _

Anisa felt relaxed and refreshed after her shower. Looking in the mirror she saw dark circles under her eyes and realized that she was feeling tired. Glancing at her bed she thought she would lay down for a few minutes and recharge. She put her head on her pillow and noticed that the clock read 2:00. _"Just a few minutes,"_ she thought, as she reached out and placed her hand on the other pillow, where Spike's head usually lay. It seemed like forever since he had been there with her. She closed her eyes...

* * *

**BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!** She heard the explosions and saw the building come down. "NO-O-O!" she scream sitting up as her eyes flew open. Her heart was pounding so fast that she couldn't catch her breath. _"It was a dream...just a dream,"_ she told herself. _"He's alive,"_ she reminded herself as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed to steady herself. Once her breathing and heart rate returned to normal, Anisa checked the time...4:00. She decided it was time to get dressed and head back to the hospital.

Anisa made a slight detour on her way to the hospital. She pulled into the parking lot of the cemetery and walked with a purpose to the grave of her late husband. With familiarity, she knelt down close to headstone, and said, "Hi, Sweetie. I'm sorry it has been so long since I've visited, but... well, I've been going through some stuff. Actually, remember that guy I told you about? His name is Mike?" She got quiet before continuing, "He almost died the other day. I was so scared that I had lost him, too. I don't think I could have handled that." She lowered her head at the thought. "But I think I must have a guardian angel up there or something because, he survived ... miraculously. I like to think that you were up there helping out. Anyway, I wanted to tell you that ... this is hard to say, but I love him...I really love do... he loves me, which is a miracle in itself. I didn't think it was possible to love like that again...after you. But he is the only other man I could imagine in my life, so I thank you for keeping him safe …. and sending Ryan to 'take care of me'. I love you and I always will. Be at peace, my love." She kissed her index finger and pressed it to the headstone then traced the outline of his name.

Slowly standing up she made her way down the path looking at the other gravestones. After a few minutes she came to the one she had been looking for. She knelt down a reverent distance in front of the stone marked with the name Lewis Young. She studied the stone and took a moment to gather her thoughts and then she began slowly.

"Hi Lewis, or I guess you go by Lou. Um... my name is Anisa McConnell. I'm Mike's, I mean Spike's friend... uhh well, I guess you would call me his girlfriend, but I hate that term. I know you don't really know me, but when I met Spike, I was coming out of a bit of a rough patch having lost someone I loved...and he had just lost you the previous year. It had been a bit longer for me since I had lost my loved one. Anyway... he showed me his resiliency at recovering from such a loss." She looked at her hands and smirked a little then continued, "You know him, always the jokester... he made me laugh. I hadn't done much of that over the last several years, but he is pretty good at making me laugh. Despite all he has lost he still has this optimism...this joy for life. It gave me hope, you know." After a brief pause, she continued, "I guess you probably know what happened on Saturday. There was an explosion at Union Station. Spike was inside and was buried for hours under the rubble of the building. It was so scary for me because I … I really don't think I could live without him...and then I worried about his father, how would he feel?...what would he think? Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that he shouldn't have survived that blast, but he did. It was truly a miracle. It was like somebody up there was looking out for him... taking care of him." Anisa took a deep breath before continuing, "Lou, I thank you for keeping him safe and letting him come back to me. He has such a pure soul. I'm not sure I deserve him, but I promise you I will love and cherish him for as long as he will let me." Sitting back on her heels preparing to stand up, "Well, I should get back to the hospital. Thank you again for taking care of him."

When she arrived at the hospital, she could hear laughter coming from Spike's room, which brought a smile to her face. Peeking in, she saw Spike's parents and sister sitting around the bed giggling and chuckling.

Spike noticed her poking her head in and the smile on his face grew. "Hey, 'Nis," he said extending his hand to her.

She walked into the room depositing the couple of bags she had brought from home on the floor, then walked over to the bed taking his hand. She kissed the top of his bald head, "Hey, Babe. How are you feeling?"

He still had a big smile on his face from the jovial conversation he had been having with his family. "I'm good," he answered holding her hand.

Anisa greeted his family and noticed a slight twinkle in his father's eye.

Mr. Scarlatti stood and said, "We should go now, Mama. I am feeling tired and now that Anisa is back, he will be in good hands."

Ria smiled and followed her parents out of the room. "Call if you need anything. I think I will bring the kids in tomorrow after school. What do you think, bro?"

"Sounds great! Thanks, sis!" said Spike watching her close the door behind herself. Then turning to Anisa, he said, "How are you feeling?"

"Me? I'm feeling good. Have you seen the doctor?" she answered.

"I am waiting for the neurologist to show up. I would have thought he would have been here by now, but who knows?"

"How's the hand feeling?"

"Not bad, still a little tingling," answered Spike then pulling her to sit on the bed next to him. "You look well rested."

"I showered and took a little nap. Oh, and I brought you some things." she said hopping up and fetching the bags. "I brought you some clothes, and personal items...including a razor if you want one. I also brought you a book, a newspaper and your laptop in case you get bored."

Spike patted the bed next to him indicating that she should take a seat next to him. Anisa did so thinking that he seemed more at peace.

"You and your family seemed to be having fun when I arrived, and your dad actually seemed happy."

Spike smiled and gently stroked her leg, "He told me loved me and that he was proud of me. He said he now understood my career choice. I think it was a weight off of his shoulders," Spike explained unable to hide the smile that was growing on his face.

Anisa placed her hands on either side of his face and said, "Mike, that is fantastic. I am so happy for you. I knew he loved you," She brought her lips to his as he slid his arms around her drawing her closer and prolonging the kiss. She loved the feeling of his body next to hers and his arms around her. Spike slid his hands slowly up her back feeling the contour of her ribs and the muscles in her back. He briefly thought about how different she was from his regular 'type'. She was small but strong and muscular, with light hair, not the typical brunette to which he was usually attracted.

"Eh-hem. Mr. Scarlatti?" came a feminine voice that slightly surprised both Anisa and Spike. Releasing each other they both turned to see who had entered the room and were facing a tall, slender woman with angular features.

"Uh...Hi, I'm Mike Scarlatti," stammered Spike.

"Hello, I am Dr. Carsten. I am here to conduct an initial neurological assessment of your injuries," explained the woman who then turned her gaze to Anisa.

Anisa stood and walked toward the woman and extended her hand. "Hi, I am Anisa McConnell." She decided that the doctor could figure out who she was based on the compromising position in which she had found them.

Shaking Anisa's hand, the doctor said matter-of-factly, "Hello." She then turned her attention back to Spike asking, "How are you feeling this afternoon?"

"Pretty good, all things considered," he answered. Anisa smiled inwardly thinking about how optimistic he was... always.

"Good to hear," said the doctor with a hint of a smile. "I am going to do a series of tests of your sensation and strength." She glanced in Anisa's direction, as if asking if he wanted her to leave.

Spike simply said, "She can stay."

The doctor nodded and proceeded touch Spike's appendages, ask him questions and then make notes. Anisa stood in the corner of the room quietly watching his facial expressions and nervously chewing on her lower lip. When Dr. Carsten reached his right hand, she asked him if he could sit up in bed without pain?

"I think so," he said trying to push himself upright with out hurting his injured ribs. She then asked him to bring his legs around so that he was sitting on the edge of the bed facing her. This provided her with better access to his his head and neck area. She again put him through a series of manipulations to to check for range of motion. Next she asked him to lift his hands with his arms extended out in from of him, but only go as far as was pain-free. Spike knew they were getting down to the nuts and bolts of the test, so he swallowed hard before attempting the task.

He raised them about chest high and held them there while the doctor touched his fingers and turned his hands over, making notes after each movement. He noticed that they were not shake like they had been the previously.

"Mr. Scarlatti. I am going to press your arms down and I want you to resist, OK?" Spike nodded. "Now, the other way, I will push up and you should press down." She proceeded to test his strength in the other directions and then by making him squeeze her fingers. She then moved his arms out to the side and ran the same battery of tests. When she had finished, she stepped away from him and made lengthy notes.

"OK, Mr. Scarlatti, I have looked at your X-rays and MRIs and after these tests, I can say that you have an impinged nerve on the right side of your neck. I would imagine that you are feeling sporadic tingling sensation in your right hand. Is that correct?" Spike nodded. "Your strength is remarkably good, but the impingement has caused a slight weakness in your right arm. I am recommending a course of physical therapy to regain the strength and to help alleviate the effects of the impingement. The alternative is surgery, but I don't recommend going that route until we have exhausted less invasive therapies." She paused a moment allowing the information to sink in then asked, "Do you have any questions?"

"Yeah, doc. Will the tingling go away? I mean I need full movement and full sensation in my hands in order to do my job. Is it realistic to expect that?" Spike cut right to the chase trying not to reveal his inner anxiety.

"Nothing in medicine is a guarantee, but I believe it is very likely that you will have no residual effects," she answered. Seeing that he had no further questions, she said, "I will have physio come tomorrow to develop a plan." As she turned to leave, she gave Anisa a sly smirk and said, "Carry on."

Anisa's face immediately turned red as she watched the doctor leave. She crossed over to the bed, where Spike sat with his legs dangling over the edge. Standing in front of him she placed her hands on his shoulders, "That's good news, Babe."

Again Spike put his hands around her waist and drew her close. Nuzzling against her neck, he said, "Yeah, it is." Pulling back a little he asked, "Would you mind helping me to the bathroom?"

"Are you sure you are supposed to be walking around?"

"At the moment, I don't see an alternative, so are you going to help me or should I call a nurse?"

"Of course I'll help," she answered helping him out of the bed and to the bathroom waiting outside for him to finish.

After a few minutes, she heard him sputter, "Geeze... I do look like Ed." As she helped him back into the bed, he said, "Does it make me look tougher?...the bald head I mean."

"Haha...I am probably not the person to ask. To me you will always be sweet, gentle and kind." She kissed the tip of his nose and added with a wink, "However, I don't think most people would want to meet you in a dark alley... although, personally I think it might be fun." She giggled and began nibbling on his ear then kissed down his jawline and then his neck to his collar bone. When she began kissing the hollow spot at the base of his neck between his collar bones, he let out a slight moan and lifted her chin so he could bring his lips to hers. When he released her, they were both a little out of breath. He touched her cheek and looked into her eyes and said, "I can't begin to tell you how much I love you."

"Excuse me, Mr. Scarla...I mean Spike..." said the nurse as she entered his room, "...there are some people here to see you. I am going to limit you to 3 visitors at a time, OK?"

"OK," he said nodding his head and releasing Anisa.

"It's probably your team. I will step outside so you can visit with them," said Anisa giving him one last but brief kiss before heading out of the room.

She nearly ran into Greg in the doorway as she was leaving. "Whoa! Hi Greg," she said as he stepped back to allow her passage.

He offered a sweet smile and gently grasped her elbow, "Anisa, good to see you. How's our guy doing?"

Anisa looked at Team One who were forming a circle around Greg eagerly awaiting news on their teammate. "He's doing really well...great, actually. Why don't you go ahead and see for yourselves," she suggested stepping out of the way giving them better access..

Greg was the first to enter with Sam and Jules at his heels. All three of their eyes grew to the size of saucers the moment they saw his bald head.

"Hey, guys," greeted Spike. Then, noticing the shocked looks on their faces, he added rubbing his head, "With Wordy in G&G I thought the ratio of follicly blessed people to those who are follicly challenged was skewed. Thought I would even it out." Spike smiled broadly as Jules came over to rub the stubble on his head.

"Haha...nicely done Scarlatti," chuckled Sam.

"Winnie sends her best and will try to visit tomorrow before shift," said Jules still rubbing his head.

"Hey Jules, how come you don't ever rub Ed or Boss's head like this?" asked Spike feeling a little like a chia pet.

"You are lying down, so I can reach your head... I can't reach Ed's. And Boss, well he's the boss..." Jules trailed off. They all chuckled at the comment.

"So, Buddy, how are you feeling?" asked Greg patting him on the shoulder.

"Good. A little headache, couple broken ribs and a cool scar," answered Spike flexing his right hand unconsciously.

"Glad to hear it," said Greg. His face then grew serious as he said, "Spike, you took a big chance in there. You went against direct orders to get out."

Spike hadn't been expecting to be reprimanded right then. Spike responded with a mix of defensiveness and pleading "Boss, there was a little boy in there. I couldn't leave with out him." Spike looked down at his hands and then said softly, "I couldn't let him die...not scared and alone."

Greg smiled and shook his head, "Michelangelo Scarlatti." Greg paused a moment before continuing, "...that is what I would expect from you." He didn't know what else to do or say.

Meanwhile, Anisa was greeting Ed, Raf and Wordy in the waiting area. She shared with them Spike's status and his rapid improvement. Wordy just wrapped her in a hug because he couldn't think of words to express his relief that Spike was going to be OK. There was also a look of relief that crossed Ed's normally stern look, his sapphire eyes softened a bit. Only Raf stood back, away from the small group.

Anisa walked over to Raf, placing her arm on his forearm, "You OK?"

"Yeah. I'm good," answered Raf. "I'm just relieved that's all."

"He is going to be fine," she said trying to convince him.

"I know," he muttered.

"Raf, this was not your fault, not in any way. He was doing his job, just like you were. No blame,"she took his hand in hers. "He wouldn't want that."

He brought his brown eyes up to her slate blue ones and saw something...strength?...truth? He nodded his head and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

* * *

Greg, Sam and Jules emerged from Spike's room with grins on their faces and relief in their eyes.

"Your up, Eddie," said Greg trying and failing to hide his mischievous grin. Ed and Wordy exchanged curious looks as they entered Spike's room with Raf right behind them.

Both Ed and Wordy stopped in their tracks as they stared at Spike, mouths agape. Raf laughed heartily at their reactions and Spike grinned ear-to-ear. Ed and Wordy immediately started laughing, too.

Walking over to his friend's bed, Wordy rubbed Spikes head fondly, "Nice look, buddy!"

"You think so? I thought it would make me look tougher...like you guys," joked Spike as Ed came over to shake his hand with a big grin still on his face. "Ed, you know I always wanted to be like you," said Spike, his tone dripping with mock admiration.

"Doesn't everyone?" said Ed with a chuckle. "How ya doing, Spike?" asked Ed earnestly.

Still smiling, Spike said, "Pretty good." Jokingly he added, "I give this hotel 3 stars...the food is poor, I prefer the fluffy robes at the Royal York than these skimpy outfits, but the staff is friendly and attentive." The friends all chuckled at the joke and continued the conversation in a relaxed fashion. They visited for a while, but when Spike couldn't suppress a yawn, they said their goodbyes and left him to sleep.

Anisa was on the phone with Cameron when the guys came out of Spike's room. She saw Ed say good bye to Wordy and Raf as the two headed down the hall to the elevator, but Ed lingered in the waiting area.

Anisa quickly ended her call, and went to talk to him. "Hey Ed. Everything OK?"

"Yeah, yeah. I didn't mean for you to end your call. I was just wondering where Greg went."

"He said he had to get home. Sam and Jules left, too."

"Listen, you want to grab a quick bite? Spike is sleeping and you look a little pale. You feeling OK?"

"Ha ha, yeah I'm fine," she answered. "Probably just tired."

"When was the last time you ate?"

"Umm..." she stammered trying to remember. "Breakfast, I think."

"C'mon let's go down to the cafeteria and see if there is anything worth eating there."

"Is that a direct order?" she asked facetiously referring to the last time he gave her a direct order and she ignored it.

"No, because we both know you are not very good at following those," Ed said before his face broke into a big grin and Anisa realized that he was kidding.

She chuckled and nodded, "OK... to the cafeteria we go."

They each made their selections and then sat down at a table in the corner. As Anisa began to eat, she realized how hungry she was. She still felt a little uncomfortable with Ed since the incident when he barked at her and she barked back.

"So, can I ask you a question?" inquired Ed.

"Sure."

"How does a detective obtain such impressive sniper skills?" Ed saw her tilt her head at him and decided to back pedal. "I mean no offense by that. It's just that most of the detectives I know are good shots, but have stronger skills in deductive reasoning and solving cases. I've never met one who has also been trained to shoot the way you do."

Anisa studied his chiseled face and decided that he was just curious. "You mean that Sam didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"Tell you about my training...my previous career."

"No," said Ed shaking his head honestly confused.

Anisa smiled at the fact that Sam had honored his word from the bar that night. "I was in the military before I joined the police force." Ed nodded but remained silent knowing there was more to the story hoping she would continue, which she did. "I was in Afghanistan and Iraq."

"Oh, so you knew Sam when he was over there? What unit were you in?"

"No, I didn't know Sam, but I knew that General Braddock had a son over there. I was in Special Forces."

"Really? I didn't think they allowed women in SF."

"Yeah well, as I told Sam, I am not sure they will again," she said playing with the food on her plate.

"You know Sam was SF, too," commented Ed, hoping for more information.

"I did know that, but I never met him while deployed. Actually, he recognized my name when we met at the bar after that first case we worked together...the white slavery one." Ed nodded remembering that day. "I asked him that day not to mention it to anybody and he said OK. I hate to admit that I doubted him."

"He didn't say a word to me and I don't think he has said anything to anybody else. But why keep it secret? Oh, unless you were discharged..."

"No, nothing like that. I was honorably discharged at the end of my tour. Ryan was also in my unit. I guess that part of my life had some good things, but there were also some dark times that I didn't really want to be reminded of."

Ed was afraid this was going to turn into chat about feelings and emotions and he really wasn't prepared for that. "Oh, hey, um we don't need to talk about this. I didn't mean to bring up any bad memories or anything."

"No worries. It's actually getting easier to think about and talk about those days. I had built quite a wall around myself after I got out." She got quiet and continued to eat her food.

Ed looked at the woman across from him and felt a better understanding of her. If she had SF training then she had known what she was doing when she disobeyed his orders and dragged her partner to safety during that drug raid gone bad.

When Anisa glanced up from her food at the face of the SRU officer across from her, she saw a crooked smirk on his face. Tilting her head to the side questioningly, she asked, "What?"

Ed's grin got bigger and he answered, "I was just thinking about how similar you and Spike are."

Now she was really confused, "How so?"

"Your outward looks are deceiving. Neither of you look very intimidating, but you both are pretty tough...you have to be for the type of work you do. Despite his training, Spike is probably the most sensitive member of the team...the most empathetic. Every case we work effects him, but he remains strong. He has been through so much and lost some people who were very close to him, but he has an inner strength that is remarkable. He could be angry and bitter, but instead, he remains optimistic...he stays Spike." Anisa nodded her head in agreement at his description of Spike. She then tilted her head trying to understand the point Ed was making. Ed continued, "Honestly, I don't know much about you or your history, but your eyes suggest that you, too, have seen loss and risen above it. I guess what I am saying is that you and Spike are both stronger than you appear, but deep down inside there is a gentleness, a tenderness, a sense of hope that is rare in seasoned members of the force." Ed became silent... he wasn't used to talking about feelings and emotions.

"Spike is a vital member of our team...our SRU family. We take care of our own," Ed added. Looking at his hands as if trying to find the words, "You and I have had our differences, but you and Spike are well suited and..."

"Really? You think so?" asked Anisa, honestly surprised at that statement.

Ed smiled at her surprise, "Yeah...since you have been in his life, he is better, happier, more settled. He is at peace. Could be a coincidence, but I doubt it." Anisa sat back feeling relaxed and comfortable for the first time in his presence.

Ed continued, "I just want you to know that I respect you and what you have done for him. Now you are one of ours...so we are here if you need us."

"Ed, thank you for saying that," she offered him a genuine smile, knowing how hard this was for him. He was not the type to talk about feelings. "It is really nice to know that I ... we have your support."

"Of course you do. Whatever you need," Ed's eyes softened for a moment, but his tough-guy demeanor returned quickly. "Well, I gotta get home. I have Issy duty tonight," he said rising.

Anisa stood, clearing her dishes, she then followed Ed into the lobby. As he headed to the door, Anisa said, "Hey, Ed, thanks for the chat. I really appreciate it."

Ed turned and gave her a smile and a quick nod.

* * *

**A/N:** I hope you liked this chapter. I was a little concerned about the graveyard scene – once sided conversations are much harder to write than I thought. I also thought the exchange between Anisa and Ed was believable.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: ** I would like to thank all of those who have read and reviewed. Thanks for sticking with me. I apologize for the delay in getting this posted, but 'twas the season to do everything but write. This is a bit of a filler chapter closing a couple of loops.

"_Phrases in quotes and italics_" are thoughts.

"_**Phrases in quotes, italics and bold"**_ are text messages.

**Disclaimer:** I still own nothing Flashpoint related except some DVDs.

* * *

**Knowing where you need to be**

**Chapter 19**

Anisa returned to Spike's room feeling content after her chat with Ed. As she opened the door, she saw that there were several flower arrangements placed throughout the room. The nurse, who was making some notes on his chart, noticed her looking at the flowers and explained that they had to hold them at the nurses station until the doctor gave them the all clear to be brought into the patient. It was a protocol put into place after a patient suffered an allergic reaction to a flower. The nurse smiled and left the room

"Did you eat?" asked Spike as Anisa walked over and kissed him on the forehead.

"Yep. I grabbed a bite with Ed," she answered and began walking around the room looking at the flower arrangements.

Spike's eyebrows rose in surprise, "With Ed?"

"Yep, with Ed," she answered reading the cards from some of the arrangements.

"How'd that go?" asked Spike knowing their differences.

"It actually went really well. It's all good. I think we understand each other better now. He thinks quitw highly of you, you know."

"Of course he does, doesn't everybody?" asked Spike with mock conceit causing Anisa to chuckle.

Anisa made her way to a very pretty arrangement and read the card, then raised her eyebrows as she turned to him still holding the card. "Wishing you a speedy recovery so I can buy you that cup of coffee I owe you. Maybe lunch, too. Warmly, Merry," Anisa quoted, reading the card aloud. She turned and looked at him questioningly with a slight smile on her face.

Spike, closed his eyes for a second before explaining, "I helped her with some computer stuff on a case and she wanted to thank me by buying me a coffee. That's all."

Anisa smiled knowingly, "If you say so. I would venture to bet that she thinks or at least hopes that there is more."

Spike chuckled shaking his head, "You're crazy."

"Maybe," she said with a grin. Changing the subject, Anisa asked, "Are you feeling tired? Can I get you anything?"

"Nah... I'm good. Come sit with me and we can watch TV."

Anisa took a seat on the bed next to Spike leaning against the back of the bed she rested her head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her tucking her into his side. He clicked on the TV and turned on the news. Spike gently rubbed his thumb along her arm. His gentle strokes were soothing to her and her eyes felt very heavy. In a matter of minutes Spike heard the familiar sound of her rhythmic breathing indicating that she was asleep. It felt so natural and comfortable to him. He glanced out the window and saw the last glimmer of sunlight slip below the horizon .

About an hour later the door to his room opened and a nurse entered. Her eyes opened wide as she saw Anisa snuggled against Spike. He raised his index finger to his lips and said softly, "Shhh."

The nurse whispered, "Visiting hours are over. She should not be here."

Spike put on his best puppy dog face and whispered, "Please let her stay. She is so tired." He looked at he nurse with those giant chocolate orbs, pleadingly.

The nurse's previously stern expression melted when she looked into his eyes. "I will deny culpability if anyone else catches her here." She walked out of the room and could barely suppress the smile on her face.

* * *

Anisa woke as the first rays of sunlight poked through the window blinds. She couldn't remembered sleeping this soundly in a long time. As she opened her eyes she realized that she was sleeping next to Spike – in the bed. She was pretty sure that this was not allowed, but she wasn't going to question it. Spike seemed to be sleeping soundly, so she untangled herself from him and got out of the bed. As she walked to the bathroom, she felt her stomach begin to churn a bit. She held onto the bathroom sink as the wave of nausea passed. Looking in the mirror she saw that the dark circles had begun to fade but her pallor remained a bit off. _"I must have picked up some weird bug here in the hospital," _she thought.

She re-entered Spike's room and sat in the chair next to the window to watch the sunrise. She pulled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Resting her head on her knees she gazed at the colors out the window... thinking. She thought about her past and how her life had changed. She started to think about her future, a future she never thought she could have. She thought about Spike and how he had changed her life. Her thoughts drifted back to the flowers from Merry Danner. She was a nice person and pretty, too. She wondered if Spike had been attracted to her and if she weren't in the picture if Spike would have been more eager to accept her offer for coffee or lunch. As usual, she began to question whether she was the right person for him. _"He deserves the best, but was she that person?"_

Spike felt a chill on his side where there was now an emptiness. He opened his eyes and saw Anisa sitting by the window and appeared to be deep in thought. He tried to read her expression, thinking he saw something akin to confusion or was it sadness?

"Morning, Bella. Whatcha thinking about?"

Anisa turned to look at Spike and was momentarily shocked by his bald head. Seeing his beautiful eyes, brought a smile to her face as she stood up, walked over to the bed and said, "Hi, Babe." She gave him a sweet kiss and then took a seat on his bed.

"You looked like you were deep in thought. What were you thinking about?" Spike asked.

She was reluctant to tell him exactly what she was thinking about, so she simply stated, "You ...mostly."

He had the feeling that she was holding something back, but decided to make a joke...because that was what he did. "Must have been fascinating..."

"Nearly put me to sleep," she teased back with a smirk.

"Did you say you brought me some clothes?" he asked.

"Yeah, want me to get them?"

"If you wouldn't mind. I think it is time to get out of this gown."

Returning to the bed with the bag in hand, Anisa asked, "Do you need some help?" She pulled out a t-shirt and a pair of shorts for him.

"Could you untie this stupid gown?" he asked after trying a couple of times, but was stopped by the pain. Anisa could hear the frustration in his voice so she quickly untied it. As it slid off of his shoulders, she saw bruises scattered across his skin in shades of purple, yellow and green. They looked so painful she winced at the sight of them. "I know, sexy aren't they?" he kidded seeing her reaction to his injuries.

"I'm sorry. They just look so painful. I didn't mean to ..."

"I was kidding," he interrupted. "Besides, I think they look worse than they are."

In no time he was dressed and back in bed. He looked more like himself in his own clothes, although his normally clean-shaven face was now more stubbly than his bald head. The irony made Anisa smile.

Spike's breakfast, which consisted of watery oatmeal and orange juice, arrived. The consistency of the oatmeal combined with the smell made Anisa's stomach start to churn again. She stepped away and looked out the window, unconsciously placing her hand on her stomach.

"You OK?" asked Spike.

"Yeah, I think I caught some stomach bug here at the hospital. The look and smell of that oatmeal is not agreeing with me," she answered honestly.

Spike looked at her intently trying to mask his concern, but said nothing more.

Bright and early the physio arrived and conducted an evaluation and developed a rehab plan. She promised to be back later that day for their first real session.

While Spike was with the physio, Anisa stepped out into the waiting area with her computer. She was on the phone with Cameron Stewart when the physio exited the room. She finished her conversation asking the younger woman to send her the pictures and information, so she could do some research on the case. Walking back into the room, Anisa saw Spike sitting on the edge of his bed about to get up.

"Hey, where are you going?" she said urgently closing the distance between the door and the bed in three strides.

"To the bathroom," he answered sternly.

"You shouldn't be getting up by yourself," she reminded him.

Spike was getting annoyed. "You weren't here and I had to go. If we keep arguing about this, the point will be moot," he stated gruffly as Anisa helped him out of bed and into the bathroom and then back into bed once he had finished.

Spike looked at her a bit sheepishly, then said, "Sorry I snapped at you."

Anisa smiled knowing exactly how he felt. She kissed him lovingly on the lips then said, "Don't worry about it. I know what it is like to be frustrated and feel dependent on someone else. Not fun."

"I just want to get out of here and back to my life," he confessed.

"I know you do," she said trying to console him. "Be patient. As you once said to me, 'Give your body a chance to heal'."

He looked at her, his expression saying, 'Thanks for understanding'. "Did you say you brought my laptop?"

"Yes," she answered fetching his bag.

As he took it from her, he grasped her hand pulling her close to him. Kissing her, he said with a sweet smile, "I love you."

"I know," she responded. Returning to her seat, she picked up her laptop and logged onto her email.

The two were busy tapping away on their keyboards when the door to the room opened drawing their attention in that direction, as a booming and authoritative voice said, "You don't write, you don't call...you just show up at my place of work."

Spike immediately recognized the man walking into the room. "Hey, Tony," he said with a big smile. "How did you know I was here?"

"I was doing my rounds and saw your name, so I had to come see you," answered Tony walking over to the bed to shake Spike's hand. He then turned to Anisa giving her a hug, "Hey Anisa, good to see you."

Standing up to hug him back, Anisa said, "Tony, I am so glad you are here."

Turning back to Spike, he said, "Wow, Mike, so Kendra and I were watching the news on Saturday. Were you there?"

"Umm yeah. I was defusing a bomb..."

Anisa stood with her laptop and headed for the door saying, "I will step outside and do a little work so you two can visit." She did not want to relive those moments again as Spike recounted the story to his friend.

Spike knew why she left, but continued his story, "...so I was working on the third bomb when I learned that there was still a little boy in the station. I knew I had to get him out, but by the time I found him there wasn't enough time, so I just found what I thought would be the safest place and hunkered down."

"Yeah, I heard the boy only had a few minor injuries. I was afraid that the police officer found with boy might be you." Tony then picked up Spike's chart reading it carefully. "Wow, buddy, I don't know how you escaped with only the injuries you have. It could have been a lot worse."

"I know," said Spike solemnly.

Realizing that he had said something that had brought Spike down, Tony tried to recover by getting more professional, "So anyway... as you know there is not much to be done about broken ribs, just rest. I see you met Dr. Carsten, she is a great neurologist."

"She's a little scary," said Spike.

"Ha ha, maybe a little...at first, but I assure you she is a good doctor. And Rogers, also very good. He actually called me and asked me to look in on his patient this morning because he wouldn't be here until this afternoon." Tony glanced at his friend and seeing some anxiety in his eyes, Tony asked, "What is it, what's worrying you?"

"It's just this nerve thing. They say I have an impinged nerve in my neck which is causing some numbness and tingling in my right hand. And...to be honest, with my job, I cannot have that."

"Mmm. I understand that. Let's see what Dr. Carsten noted," answered Tony reviewing Spike's chart. "Based on her assessment, I would expect a full recovery, with no side effects. I will say that, as we age, our spines naturally begin to compress so in the future, you may experience some impingement in that area as it will be a weakness for you. At that time, there are some surgical procedures to consider that have been very successful. But that is a long way off, buddy." Spike nodded hoping he was right.

Tony conducted a quick evaluation of Spike's injuries and noted his improvements in the chart. Then the two friends chatted briefly about various topics.

"So, Tony, when do you think I can get back to my normal activities?"

"Well, I would say that for the first week after release, you should be take it very easy...I would prescribe bed rest, but somehow I doubt that would work with you. Definitely nothing stressful – no lifting or exertion of any kind." Tony wrinkled his brow sternly to emphasize his point, Spike responded with a grimace. "Mike, the worry here is with your repaired lung. I know you can handle the pain from the broken ribs, but we have to be careful with the damaged lung. Doc Rogers can give you more information on that. After the first week you can SLOWLY begin to add things back into your routine. I would still wait a good 3-4 weeks to do anything strenuous. That is about the time I would suggest you be evaluated for your to return to work."

"OK, so in about a week I can start to do somethings depending on pain, right?"

"Yes – from an orthopedic perspective. You still have to get the all clear from Rogers from a surgical/pulmonary perspective," cautioned Tony.

"What about other activities?" asked Spike with a devilish smile, tilting his head to the door where Anisa had exited and wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Tony smiled and shook his head incredulously. "Really? That is what you are thinking about?"

Spike shrugged his shoulders and looked sheepishly at Tony, "What can I say? I'm a guy and she..."

Tony put his hand up for him to stop before he said too much. "Look I have already told you...NO EXERTION!" Then chuckling slightly he added, "You will have to ask Doc Rogers for any more information."

As he was leaving the room Tony turned to Spike and said earnestly, "Mike, I'm really glad you are going to be OK."

"Thanks, me too."

* * *

Meanwhile Anisa was reviewing the details of the case and decided to call Cameron.

"Hey, Cam, I had a thought. I was looking at the statements from the various witnesses and there is something about the statement from the shop owner that is bugging me."

"Yeah? What is it?"

"He is a middle aged guy who owns a woman's accessory store. The store is meticulously cared for. It seems strange that someone that fastidious would have seen nothing if the abduction occurred right outside of his store."

"True," she agreed.

"I think we should question him again," suggested Anisa.

"Do you think he is holding something back?" asked Cameron.

"I don't know, maybe. Or maybe he saw something and didn't think it was important at the time so he didn't mention it. I just think it couldn't hurt to have another conversation with him."

"OK, Lambert and I will talk with him today. You doing OK?" asked Stewart.

"Yeah, I'm good. I'll talk to you later."

"See ya."

Anisa saw Tony leave Spike's room as she finished her call with Cameron. She returned to Spike's room and saw him looking out the window. She didn't say anything but just gazed at him. She had memorized his profile, but his bald head still took some getting used to. She sat down next to him on the bed.

"Hey you," she said.

He turned and smiled at her sliding his arm around her, "Hey you."

"What are you thinking about?" she asked.

"You...mostly," he smirked.

"Ha ha... must have been fascinating," she jibed.

Spike yawned, "Yeah... I think I need a nap." They both laughed and snuggled close.

Spike gently rubbed his hands along her back and down her side. "Have you been eating? Seems like you have lost weight."

"You are starting to sound like your mother...Yes, I have been eating...remember dinner with Ed last night," Anisa said emphatically, starting to stand up.

Spike tightened his grip on her and whispered, "Don't get up. Stay here for another minute." Anisa settled back in next to him. Spike continued, "I didn't mean anything by that. I was just … worried about you. I want you around for a while." He kissed her neck bringing a bashful smile to her face.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"I'm getting a little tired of people asking me that, but not too bad I guess. I'm just sore. It hurts to move everything," he said sounding frustrated.

Anisa wished she could take his pain away, but instead she just wrapped her arms around him and said, "You'll get through this and remember, I am always here to lean on."

He kissed the top of her head and said, "I know."

* * *

The nurse brought in Spike's lunch and Anisa realized that she was hungry...she hadn't eaten all day. She grabbed her bag and went down to the cafeteria for something to eat. She spent the next hour and a half eating, reviewing the case file and conversing with her partners on the phone.

Spike finished his unsavory meal in about 20 minutes and then picked up the book Anisa had brought him. When the door opened, he expected to see Anisa, but instead, it was Merry Danner.

"Hi Spike," Merry greeted. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything," she added not taking her eyes off of his bald head.

"Nope, just catching up on my reading," he said running his hand over his head. "Like my new do?"

"Umm...it's different. You kind of look a little like Ed."

"Yeah...I've heard that."

"So how are you feeling?" she asked with concern.

Spike recited his rehearsed answer, "Not bad. A little sore."

"I bet. When I saw what happened on the news, I ….uh... was worried about you," Danner stammered. "I heard that you saved a boy and he only had minor injuries."

Spike wanted nothing more than to change the subject, so he nodded his head and then said, "Thanks for the flowers. They are pretty."

"You're welcome," she said with a smile taking a small step closer to the bed. Then she added nervously, "Maybe, while you are recuperating, I can take you out for coffee or lunch."

"Uhh...Merry. That is very nice of you, but as I told you before, you don't need to do that," Spike uttered feeling a little uncomfortable. Maybe Anisa had been right and Detective Danner was interested in more than coffee. He had no idea how to handle that type of situation, but his father had always taught him that honesty was the best policy. Looking her in the eye he said, "I don't mean to flatter myself, but, ummm I think you should know that I am involved with someone, and I wouldn't want there to be any misunderstandings, so ….." Spike looked at her face with gentle eyes and saw his words register and then her cheeks begin to flush a light pink.

"Oh...I'm sorry...Umm...yeah...well I guess I should go," she sputtered feeling embarrassed.

Spike knew that she had put herself out on a limb by asking him out and he didn't want to hurt her feelings because he liked and respected her. "Merry, listen. As I said, I don't want to be presumptuous, I just wouldn't want anyone to get the wrong idea. OK?"

She nodded and smiled at him. "OK. I really hope you have a quick recovery and I'll see you around," she offered as she made her way to the door.

Spike could tell that she was embarrassed and wanted to make her feel better, but didn't know how, so he simply said, "Merry, thank you. I really appreciate your stopping by."

She nodded as she walked out the door. Anisa stepped off the elevator and walked toward Spike's room. She saw Detective Merry Danner walking toward the elevator with her head down and shoulders slumped.

"_Oh, this could be awkward,"_ thought Anisa. "Hi, Merry," she said tentatively.

Danner looked up in the direction of the voice. "Hi, McConnell," she responded as it began to dawn her that Anisa must be the person Spike was 'involved' with. She looked at Anisa not sure what to say next so she looked away quickly.

"You OK?" asked Anisa gently.

Nodding her head, Merry responded, "So are you and Spike...uh...dating? 'Cause you could have told me."

"Merry, I'm sorry...it didn't come up and, well it wasn't really my place."

"I feel like such an idiot."

Anisa walked over to the other woman and placed her hand on her arm. "Don't say that. How could you have known. And I know that Spike thinks very highly of you."

"Ughh... so you guys have talked about me? Could this get any more awkward?"

"No...not like that. He told me a little about the case you two worked on together. It was all on a professional level," said Anisa trying to ease the other detective's mind.

Danner offered a crooked smile and nodded her head. She decided that she should probably just move on and pretend that nothing happened. "Oh well what's done is done. I can't change the past. I guess I should get going," she said as she stepped toward the elevator.

"Take it easy, Danner," said Anisa genuinely hoping that the other detective would not be too upset about the turn of events.

"You too. Oh, and McConnell, I wish you guys the best, I really do," she said earnestly as she stepped into the elevator.

As Anisa walked into Spike's room, he turned and smiled at her saying, "You know you were right."

"I usually am...about what specifically?"

"Merry Danner."

"Oh yeah, I saw her in the hallway. What happened? What did you say?"

"She suggested we go for coffee or lunch and I told her that I was involved with someone and I wouldn't want there to be any misunderstandings," Spike explained. "I feel bad... I think I hurt her feelings."

"I think she was more embarrassed than hurt. I know you and I am sure that you said it in the kindest way you could."

Their conversation was cut short by physio entering the room.

"OK, Mr. Scarlatti, are you ready to work a little?"she asked.

"I guess so," he answered not really sure if he was or not.

Picking up her bag and laptop, Anisa announced, "I'll be outside working."

* * *

An hour and a half later, the physio emerged from Spike's room as Anisa worked in the waiting area. She glanced up and smiled at the physio as she left Spike's room. She finished her call, picked up her things and returned to Spike's room. He was sitting in his bed flexing his right hand aimlessly. When he saw Anisa walk in, he gave her a dimple-revealing smile.

"How did it go?" she asked.

Spike lifted his right hand and wiggled his fingers. "Pretty well. She gave me some exercises to do, but she still expects a full recovery."

Anisa could tell that he was feeling more optimistic than he had before. She walked over to the bed without saying anything and kissed him. He slid his arms around her guiding her to a seat on the bed.

"I guess I finally believe that it is all going to be OK. You gotta have faith, right?" Spike said, still smiling.

"Yeah...you gotta have faith," Anisa repeated.

"How's the case going?" Spike asked.

"Moving along...slowly," she answered then filled him in on the details of the case. How they had re-interviewed the store manager and learned that there had been a white panel van outside the door when the girl was in his store. Right now Ryan and Cameron were trying to track down the van based on the description provide by the store owner.

The two fell into a comfortable silence, both tapping on their computers. It was late afternoon when Dr. Rogers walked through the door to Spike's room.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Scarlatti," he greeted. Then nodding his head toward Anisa he said, "Ms. McConnell."

"Hi Doc," said Spike with a smile.

"How are you feeling today?" asked the doctor. On that note Anisa chuckled and excused herself so the doctor could conduct his exam.

Spike offered a crooked smirk then responded, "Pretty good I think. I've seen the physio twice today."

"Good. Did Dr. Zaccato come by?" inquired Dr. Rogers.

"Tony? Yeah he came by," answered Spike with a smile. "I went to high school with him."

"Really? Were you two friends, " asked the doctor picking up Spike's chart.

"Yeah, I guess we were," answered Spike with at slight smile.

Dr. Rogers conducted his examination of Spike and was making notes on his chart when Anisa walked back in.

"Good, I'm glad you are here," said the doctor Anisa. "I think our patient here should be ready to go home tomorrow depending on a couple of things." Both Spike and Anisa faces grew giant smiles. Seeing their reactions, the doctor continued, "He has healed remarkably well, so I will send him home tomorrow following a final exam in the morning. He will have some restrictions, though." Both Anisa and Spike nodded at the doctor to continue. "He should have only very limited activity for the first week to protect his injured lung. This means he cannot stay alone. I know it is not your style to have a sedentary lifestyle, but for the next week that is what I will demand. No lifting or bending or exertion of any kind. Anything that causes pain to your ribs could be damaging. I will have you back in a week for another exam to assess your progress."

"That is great news," said Anisa unable to contain her excitement.

Smiling back at the couple, Dr. Rogers asked Anisa, "So, will you be staying at Mr. Scarlatti's house?"

"Uh...no. I mean ..." stuttered Anisa unsure of what to say.

"I can stay at home with my parents," said Spike not wanting to be a burden to Anisa and knowing that she needed to work.

"You can't stay there," said Anisa gently. "Your house has stairs, and besides, your mom has enough to take care with your dad. Stay with me...it's one floor and only a few steps between bedroom and the family room."

"Yes, Mr. Scarlatti, that seems a better option to me," said the doctor. Then turning to Anisa, he asked, "And you will be home with him?"

Without missing a beat or allowing Spike a second to protest, Anisa said, "Absolutely. I can work from home while Spike is recuperating." Anisa smiled, happy to have the opportunity to take care of Spike.

"OK," said Dr. Rogers. "It's settled then. I will write up my notes and order and x-ray tomorrow morning to check on the progress of your ribs. I will be by mid-morning. Bye for now," he said as he departed.

"Mike, that is great news!" Anisa said walking to his bed excitedly, but seeing the sour expression on his face she said, "What's the matter?"

"You shouldn't have to take care of me. It's not your job."

"Not my job?! Well it certainly isn't your mother's job," she barked at him with a little more vehemence than she had intended.

"I can take of myself. I don't need anyone to babysit me," Spike said with a pout.

Anisa glared at him not sure whether to be hurt or angry. _'Did he really think he didn't need anyone?' _The seconds ticked by without a word as her glare became more intense. When their eyes met, she understood his feelings. She turned away and walked to the window. _'How could she make him understand that he wasn't a burden to her?'_

"OK no babysitting, but will you let me help you? After all you did for me when I was injured? Please..." she pleaded returning to the bed and looking him in the eyes. She gently touched his stubbly cheek, "Please?"

His look softened as he reached up, taking her hand and bringing it his lips. He kissed it tenderly, "I didn't do that much for you... as a matter of fact, I nearly got you killed."

"Mike, we are not going to rehash that because you are WRONG and I am not going to argue with you about it," Anisa said with a grumble pulling her hand away and crossing her arms over her chest.

Spike made a face that said: 'I disagree with you ..but not gonna argue, either,' …. he said nothing. Instead he reached out his hand to her and said, "I love you."

She uncrossed her arms and ran her hand along his jawline tilting his chin up. Bringing her lips to his, she murmured, "I love you more than anything." Spike slid his hand up her back as high as he could without pain and pulled her closer deepening the kiss. When they finally separated, their eyes met with desire.

Anisa kissed the tip of his nose then said, "Babe, I know that this is going to be hard, but we are going to get through this, I promise." Spike smiled and simply nodded his head.

When Spike's family arrived a short while later, Spike and Anisa were both working on their computers. Joe and Timmy ran to his bedside.

"Uncle Mike! You're bald!" hollered Timmy as he climbed on the bed.

"Wow...cool scar on your neck!" added Joey.

Seeing the kids brought a smile to Spike's face. "Hey guys!" he said wrapping his nephews in a hug.

CiCi helped her grandfather into the room and over to Spike's bedside where he greeted his son with a smile and a pat on the arm. CiCi kissed her uncle on the top of his bald head.

"Nice look there, Uncle Mike," she said with a smirk giving his bald head a rub.

Spike mirrored her smirk, "Haha, yeah thanks."

The group said their hellos, greeting each other jovially.

Spike's mother walked over to him and asked, "Mikey, how are you feeling today?" causing Anisa to smile to herself knowing how much he hated that question.

"I'm good, Ma. Doc is going to send me home tomorrow," he said revealing his dimples in a smile.

Mrs. Scarlatti took her son's face n her hands and kissed his cheeks. "That is good news, my son. I will make your room ready." Anisa shot a quick glance at Spike.

"Ma, I was thinking I would stay at Anisa's. I am not supposed to go up and down stairs, besides you have Dad to take care of," explained Spike.

Mrs. Scarlatti got very quiet, "Oh." Spike saw the look of dejection in his mother's eyes. It had been along time since his mother had taken care of him. Anisa hadn't thought about how Spike's mom might feel if she weren't given the opportunity to take care of her son.

"Um... Mrs. Scarlatti, the doctor wants Mike to have little to no activity or exertion for the first week. Will that be too much for you?" Anisa asked.

Before she could answer, Mr. Scarlatti jumped in looking his wife in the eye with gentleness, "Mama, I think he should stay with Anisa. We don't want him to go up and down the stairs. Don't you think that would be best for him?" He gave her a little wink that was not visible to either Spike or Anisa.

Slowly Mrs. Scarlatti nodded her head, "Yes, Papa, I think you are right."

So it was settled Spike, would go home with Anisa for his recovery. The group visited for a couple of hours with the boys showing Spike the get well cards they had made for him.

Spike and Anisa said goodbye to his family as his dinner arrived.

"Why don't you go home tonight? Have a good dinner, sleep in your own bed and then come back tomorrow so we can go home together ..." suggested Spike.

"You trying to get rid of me?" she asked with a grin.

Spike smile. "No... just want to make sure that you are well rested so you can 'take care of me'," he said making quotation marks with his fingers. "I plan to be very needy," he added with a chuckle.

She was about protest when Spike gave her his best puppy dog look. "OK, OK! I will go home," she conceded. She knew that this was his way of taking care of her. She also realized that she had no idea if she even had food in her house, so this was a good opportunity to restock her kitchen. "Can I at least stay until visiting hours are officially over?"

Spike pushed his tray aside and pulled her down to sit on the bed. Placing his hands gently on her the back of her neck he pulled her lips to his. When he finally released her, she was out of breath. She looked at him almost shyly.

"I wanted to make sure that there were no misunderstandings about how I felt," he said with a crooked grin.

* * *

**A/N**: I hope you liked this little chapter. Next chapter should be up much sooner, so stay tuned to see what happens when Spike gets back home.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: ** This chapter is mostly fluff covering Spike's recovery and how he and Anisa navigate through it.

"_Phrases in quotes and italics_" are thoughts.

"_**Phrases in quotes, italics and bold"**_ are text messages.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Flashpoint related except some DVDs.

* * *

**Knowing where you need to be**

**Chapter 20**

That evening, Anisa stopped at the grocery store on the way home to restock her kitchen. Once she arrived home, she spent the evening preparing to bring Spike home. She did laundry, cleaned the kitchen and the bathroom and changed her sheets. When she finally got into bed that night, she was exhausted. She picked up her phone to call Spike, but noted the time: 11:00. It was too late, he needed to rest, but she didn't put down the phone. She was startled when it rang in her hand. She smiled broadly as she read the caller ID: **Mike**.

"Hi, Mike."

"Hi 'Nis. What ya doing?"

"Ha ha. I just got into bed and was going to call you, but I was afraid I would wake you. What are you up to?"

"I just finished running a marathon and now I am solving the problem of world hunger," he joked.

"I'm glad you called...I really just wanted to hear your voice before I fell asleep," she confessed.

Spike smiled because that was why he had called her, too. "Have I told you how happy I am to be leaving this place? I cannot wait to be home." Anisa liked that he thought of her place as home.

He then asked, "So how are you feeling?"

Anisa thought about the question before answering. "Fine. Maybe I am allergic to hospitals or at least hospital food."

"Maybe you're allergic to me..." he teased.

"Could be..." she answered with a grin. "That would be problematic, though."

"How so?" he said with a smirk.

"I'm not thrilled about feeling nauseous all the time, but I'm not letting you go that easily. Guess I will have to invest in some Pepto Bismol."

"Well you better get some rest because I am going to have you waiting on me hand and foot...I can be very needy."

Anisa couldn't stop from giggling at him. "We will see about that. Goodnight, Babe."

Spike finally got serious and said, "Good night. Call me if you can't sleep...I love you."

"You too. I love you," she said hanging up and whispering out loud, "more than anything."

0000000000

Spike woke early as the sun streamed into his room. It looked like a beautiful day he assessed as the sky brightened. Shortly after breakfast, he was taken to radiology to have an x-ray and an MRI.

When Anisa arrived at his room, she was shocked to see the bed empty. Before she could say anything a nurse entered the room and saw Anisa's expression.

"Don't worry, he is down in radiology and should be back soon," the nurse explained.

"That's right," Anisa remembered.

She began packing up his stuff while she waited for him to return. About a half an hour later the door to the room opened and Spike was wheeled in by a nurse and over to his bed.

"Hey you," he greeted her, standing up by himself getting back into bed.

"Hey yourself," she said watching him with concern as he sat on the edge of the bed. The nurse took the wheel chair and left the room. "You doing OK?" she asked watching him wince as he slowly reclined in the bed.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he lied.

"Whatever you say, Ed Lane," she snapped annoyed that he was not telling her the truth. She decided to let it go and not say anything more about it. Changing the subject, she said, "I packed up most of your stuff."

Spike looked at her eyes seeing both concern and irritation in them. "Come sit with me for a minute," he implored.

Her look softened as she walked over to the side of the bed. Spike reached for her hand and pulled her gently down next to him. She still felt the electricity in his touch as she did the first time they touched. Sliding his arm around her, he pulled her into a kiss.

As the kiss ended, Spike whispered, "I missed you last night."

Smiling, she snuggled against his chest saying, "Me too."

0000000000

Dr. Rogers arrived a couple of hours later with Spike's films in hand. "Good morning Mr. Scarlatti...Ms. McConnell," he greeted with a pleasant smile. "Everything looks good. How are you feeling?"

"Great", Spike answered enthusiastically. When Dr. Rogers gave him a stern, questioning look, Spike revised his answer, "Sore but not too bad."

"OK, that's good. I will process your release orders and you should be out of here before lunch. How does that sound?"

Spike felt himself relax, "Great, doc. Really great!"

As promised, Spike was being wheeled out of his room before noon with Anisa following behind. Once she had him securely in the car, she kissed him tenderly before getting into the drivers seat. As she drove she glanced at her passenger and noticed Spike's face with a mischievous look on it.

"What?" she asked

He got a big grin on his face and said, "How about a guacamole burger from Jackson's?"

She chuckled, "I guess that would be alright...but you have to take it easy, OK?"

Spike held up his hand in an-oath-like fashion and said, "I promise!"

Anisa pulled into a parking place at Jackson's and noticed as she was getting out of the car that Spike had opened his door and was about to try to get out of the car when she barked, "Hey!" Spike snapped his head to her direction causing him to wince a little. "Wait for me to help you," she said a little more gently, then added, "You promised."

"OK," he muttered.

As she got out of the car, he rolled his eyes causing her to say, "I saw that!"

"Geeze – I really think you are turning into my mother...she has eyes in the back of her head, too," he grumbled.

When she reached his side of the car she helped him out, kissing him sweetly on the tip of his nose. "...and we both love you very much. Let's go."

Spike loved sitting in the booth eating burgers with her. It reminded him of the first meal they had shared and how he had questioned her choice of a guacamole burger until he tasted it. He gobbled up his burger and sat back in the seat glancing around the restaurant and then back at her and smiled. She finished about half of her burger and then sat back rubbing her tummy.

"Not going to finish it?"

"I know it is shocking, but I am full. I must be getting old, because my system has been a little off since this whole thing happened."

Spike's brow wrinkled with concern, "Are you still not feeling well?"

"No I'm OK. I just don't want to take any chances with they way my stomach has been that last few days. I am thinking that it was nerves or maybe I am allergic to the hospital," she said with a smile.

They paid the bill and Spike let her help him into the car. Again he found himself smiling, as she sang along to the song on the radio. He rested his head back and closed his eyes for the rest of the ride. When they arrived at her apartment, she helped him out of the car and up to her home. She put down their bags by the door as Spike took a few steps into the living room. Spike stopped Anisa from puttering around the room by sliding his arm around her waist and drawing her close to him. They smiled into each others eyes as their lips touched. They had both longed to hold each other like this for days. As the kiss ended, Spike didn't release her, instead he buried his face in her hair and pulled her closer...held her tighter. The embrace lasted minutes and it was as if they were drawing strength from each other.

As they released each other, Anisa touched his cheek then said, "Why don't you go lie down?" He was about to protest, but suddenly felt tired so he simply nodded his head and went into the bedroom. She followed shortly with his bag and a glass of water. "I am going into the guest bedroom to do some work. Call me if you need anything, OK?" He nodded then she said, "Promise!"

"Yes. I promise. I will call you if I need anything!" he said showing mild annoyance.

Anisa sat working on her case for about thirty minutes, but couldn't seem to get comfortable. She realized that her discomfort was coming from her stomach. It had started churning again. She drank some water hoping that would settle it, but it did not. She went and made herself some peppermint tea. She did not care for it, but it was supposed to help with sour stomachs. _"I knew I shouldn't have eaten so much of that burger...ugh!"_ she thought to herself. The tea seemed to help so she went back to work.

After a couple of hours, her doorbell rang. As she walked past her bedroom door, she saw Spike reading a book and gave him a smile. Looking through the peephole she saw Spike's family so she opened the door immediately.

She welcomed his parents, his sister and her children into her home with hugs.

"How is my son today?" asked Mrs. Scarlatti handing Anisa a casserole dish.

"He's doing pretty well. Why don't you have a seat and I will get him," said Anisa rushing into the kitchen to deposit the casserole, then to bedroom to get Spike who was already trying to get out of bed alone. She glared at him for not waiting for her.

"I know...but as you can see, I didn't get very far," Spike said with a devilish grin. As she helped him out of bed and onto his feet, he kissed her lovingly on the lips and whispered, "I'm a work in progress."

"Ha ha... I know," Anisa responded leading him into her living room.

They all visited for about an hour, when Ria said, "We should get going. It's Wednesday and I need to get Mom and Dad home before heading to guitar lessons."

Mrs. Scarlatti stood and said, "Ye,s we should go, Papa. Mikey, I brought you some lasagna."

"What about the boys?" asked Anisa.

"I am going to bring them with me tonight. You have your hands full with Mike."

"Don't be silly. I can handle him...besides I think the more things Mike has to distract him, the better our relationship will be," said Anisa with a smile.

"If you are sure...I will be back in a couple of hours. Thanks a bunch," said Ria with a relieved smile. CiCi mouthed the work 'Thank you' to Anisa.

Spike, Anisa, Joey and Timmy enjoyed the lasagna his mom had made. Although, Anisa had learned her lesson from lunch, so only ate a small portion. While she was doing the dishes, the boys talked their uncle into playing Candyland. Anisa took her time with the dishes. She had no interest in playing that game. It brought back memories of that night. The two hours flew by and Ria was back to pick up the boys in no time.

Anisa looked at her watch and saw that it was 9:45, so she asked Spike, "Do you want to go back to sleep?"

Spike gave her a weak smile as he responded, "I guess I should get ready for bed, since everything takes forever to do, now." He slowly rose from his seat and with her help made his way to the bathroom. She stepped into the guest room to power off her computer at the same time her phone rang. She noted the caller ID and smiled.

"Hey there, Lambert," she greeted.

"How's it going Red?"

"Good. Getting settled back in."

"How's Spike doing?"

"Pretty well, although he is not happy with me helping him around all the time," she said. "As a matter of fact he is a little grumpy, something that I am not used to …. from him at least," she added with a smirk.

"Do I have to remind you about what a pain in the ass you were when you were recovering?" Lambert shot back.

"No, no... no need for that. I know. I guess I feel helpless, too. I know he is in pain, but I can't make the pain go away."

"Give it time," he reassured her. "Talk to you later, OK?"

As Anisa was saying good bye to her partner, she heard the door to the bathroom start to open. She walked over to Spike to help him noting his grimace as he flexed his right hand.

"You OK? Does it hurt? Your hand, I mean," she asked a little tentatively.

"I'M FINE!," he grumbled at her pulling his hand away and walking feebly over to the bed. Anisa followed him and helped him into the bed despite his scowl. She looked him in the eye and then walked away feeling dejected.

As she brushed her teeth and got ready for bed, she reminded herself that she was not really the target of his ire. He was frustrated, angry and worried. She also reminded herself that she wasn't going to tolerate being snapped at for the next month. She tried to not feel hurt by his words and actions, but it was hard. When she had finished in the bathroom, she stood in the doorway looking at Spike, watching him try to get comfortable in the bed. He looked at her and his expression began to soften as he regretted his harsh words.

"Hey, sorry about that," he offered hoping that would repair the situation, but she just nodded her head in acknowledgment without saying a word.

They stood in silence for a minute before Anisa spoke. "Mike, I get that you are angry and frustrated. I also understand that you are worried about your hand. I can handle that and I know that the barking at me is nothing personal. But... the lying? 'I'M FINE?'" She put her hand up to stop him from defending himself and indicating that she was not finished. She took a step toward the bedroom door then added, "I love you. Don't I deserve honesty? Isn't what we have worthy of the truth?" Without letting him say anything she walked out of the bedroom.

Spike was left in the bed to think about her words. The turmoil inside him had him arguing with himself. He had every right to be angry and frustrated, but she was right, what they had did deserve the truth. He decided to get out of bed and go after her, but was stopped by Anisa as she returned to the bedroom with two glasses of water. He looked at her remorsefully, not exactly sure what to say. She put a glass on his nightstand and the other on hers as she got into the bed. Spike reached out to her as she reclined and she slid over to his side and looked into his eyes.

"You are right, you do deserve the truth...and I am sorry I snapped at you," he said drawing her closer against his side. "My hand doesn't really hurt, but it doesn't feel...right. I can't really describe it." Anisa took his right hand in her hands as he continued, "I'm...uh...I'm scared."

She reached up and touch his cheek tenderly and brought his lips to hers. "I know you are, Babe. I wish I could tell you not to worry about it because it will be fine, but I don't know that it will. I do know that you will be fine. You are strong and intelligent and you are going to get through this...and I will be beside you all of the way. No matter what. OK?"

Gently, he stroked her hair and looked into her slate blue orbs which had seen so much pain and violence, but all he saw in them was love. "I love you," he said as he brought his lips to her. As the kiss deepened, Anisa felt herself melt into Spike's embrace. His arms encircled her, caressing her back as their legs intertwined. Before either knew what was happening, Spike was kissing her jawline and down her neck. Anisa's breath quickened at the feel of his lips until she pulled away breathlessly.

"Babe, no. We gotta stop now or we … we just have to. No EXERTION. Remember?" Anisa reminded him. He looked at her trying to regain his focus. He let out a grunt as he buried his face in her hair knowing she was right. However, he did not loosen his grip on her and they fell asleep entangled like a ball of yarn.

The next morning Spike woke and looked at he clock. It was 10:30 and the sun was streaming in. He hadn't slept that late since high school. He looked around for Anisa and saw her spot on the bed empty and the bedroom door cracked open enough that he could see into the living room. He had to get up to use the bathroom so he slowly sat up in the bed realizing that the action didn't hurt as much as it did the day before. As he moved his legs to the side of the bed, he let out a gasp of pain and realized he could probably use Anisa's help. Before he had a chance to call her name, Anisa was rushing through the door with a wrinkled brow.

"I was just about to call you...I swear," he said before she could chastise him. She smiled at him and kissed his forehead.

"Good morning sleepy head," she said as she helped him out of bed and toward the bathroom.

"How could you let me sleep that late?" He asked

"You looked so cute and peaceful, I couldn't bring myself to interrupt your sleep. Besides, you need to sleep as much as you can...it aids the healing process," she spouted off as if she were an expert on the subject.

As he emerged from the bathroom, he notice she was in her running clothes. "Did you go for a run?"

"Yeah, a short one. It's a pretty day and I haven't done any exercise in a week." she confessed.

"So you are feeling OK?" he asked.

"Yeah, this stomach thing comes and goes...weird. I am thinking I may need to be tested for food allergies," she said.

As they sat and Spike ate breakfast, Anisa said, "This is what I thought we would do today, first you need to have a shower."

"What? Do I smell?" he said feigning hurt.

"Can you remember the last time you showered?" she asked. As he visibly pondered the question, she said, "I rest my case. Then we will go to your physio appointment and then maybe walk through the park. Or catch a movie. What do you think?" She saw his jaw tighten.

He stood up carefully and said "Yeah, that's fine," and walked into kitchen, depositing his dishes in the sink. When he turned to leave the kitchen, he saw Anisa leaning against the door jamb staring at him. She held her coffee cup with both hands up to her lips blocking his view of her expression. He could tell from her eyes that she was trying to read him.

Remembering their conversation about honesty from the night before, he said, "OK – so I don't love being treated like a 5 year old ...being told what I will be doing every second of the day. But I didn't snap at you, I didn't get angry and I didn't fib and tell you I'm fine. So you can't be mad," he said defensively.

"Of course I can be mad, but I'm not," she responded putting her coffee cup down. "Mike, I'm sorry if I was treating you like a 5 year old. That wasn't my intention, I was just trying to help. This is all new to me, so tell me what you would like me to do. You have a physio appointment and I will drive you there. The rest of the day, you can do anything you want." She turned away from him to clean the dishes. Spike rubbed his hand over his stubbly head not sure what to say.

"This is all new to me, too and I..."

"... you hate it, I know and I understand," she finished his sentence.

Spike nodded his head, and slipped his arms around her waist. "I appreciate your efforts," he said pulling her close and kissing her sweetly, "and I love you." He kissed her again, "How about we go to the appointment and then play it by ear?"

"OK, deal," she said sliding her arms around his neck and pulling his lips into a kiss.

Spike smiled as they separated and said, "I guess I should probably have a shower. I think I may need your help." He gave her a mischievous look.

"Ha ha, I don't think that would be a good idea."

"What, don't you trust me?"

She kissed him deeply and said, "I trust you implicitly, it's me I don't trust. We both know how it would end and that would not be good."

Running his hand up her back and nuzzling her neck, "Oh, I bet it would be very good."

Giggling she gently pushed him away and said, "Go take a shower."

While he was in the shower she called Lambert to discuss the progress on the case. When they had exchanged information on the case, Lambert asked Anisa how it was going with Spike home.

"Ugh...not very well. Apparently I am treating him like a child...I didn't mean to. I was just trying to be upbeat and helpful. That annoyed him and I can't blame him for that." She sounded dejected, "Ryan, I am not good at this nurturing, nursemaid stuff."

"Give it time. This situation is new to you both. You'll figure it out," he offered encouragingly.

"I hope so. I don't seem to be able to say the right things. I try to make him feel better, but everything I do or say seems to make things worse."

"The only advice I can give you is to try to remember what it was like when you were in his situation. Then think about what helped you. You guys are a lot alike."

"Maybe you are right, I'll give that a try." She thanked him for his advice as they hung up the phone.

Spike had finished his shower, stepped out of the bathroom and overheard the end of Anisa's conversation with Ryan. He knew she was trying to make things better for him and that he was not making it easy. At that moment he vowed to try to be better. He changed his outlook on the situation. He decided to look at this a little vacation and a chance to spend more time with the woman he loved.

When she entered the bedroom, he was trying to put on his T-shirt which was causing him some pain.

"Hey, Babe, can you give me a hand with this?" he asked .

"Sure," she said rushing to his side to lend a hand.

"Thank you," he said kissing her on the cheek.

"Your welcome, she said with a smile. "Now it's my turn for a shower," she said turning and heading for the bathroom.

"Let me know if you need some help," he called after her causing her to chuckle.

* * *

**A/N:** Hope you liked this and could feel the internal turmoil they were feeling.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: ** Spike goes back to work and this chapter has some action for my action lovers... gotta keep them interested. There is a little Italian in this chapter, the translation for which I got from Google translate – so don't hate if it is a little off.

"_Phrases in quotes and italics_" are thoughts.

"_**Phrases in quotes, italics and bold"**_ are text messages.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Flashpoint related except some DVDs.

* * *

**Knowing where you need to be**

**Chapter 21**

After 3weeks at home driving Anisa crazy, Spike was finally given the OK to return to work on light duty which meant he had to stay in the truck. Meanwhile, Anisa had returned to work weeks ago and was working with both Cameron and Ryan which had it's challenges.

Wednesday morning, Spike was ready to get back to work so he rose early, showered and made coffee. Anisa on the other hand was trying to muster her strength to get out of bed. Walking into the bathroom, she felt a little lightheaded and grabbed the counter for balance. _"What the heck?"_ she thought "_I must have picked up another bug at the hospital, when I took him there for his check up yesterday."_

She felt a little better after her shower. Dressing in a hurry, she walked into the kitchen and smelled breakfast. Spike had made eggs and the odor was not sitting well with her.

"Buon giorno, Bella," greeted Spike cheerily handing her a cup of coffee.

"Hi, Babe," she answered kissing him on the cheek, not wanting to spread her germs. She fondly rubbed his stubbly head. His hair was growing back nicely.

"Again with the chia pet routine?" he asked with a smirk.

"Sorry, it just feels so cool at this length," smiled Anisa pulling her hand away.

"I made eggs," he offered.

"I know, hon, but I am running late and don't have time to eat. I'm sorry."

"You have to eat something," protested Spike.

"OK, I'll eat this," she said grabbing a protein bar and kissing him as she headed to the door. "Have a good day, take it easy and stay in touch. Ti amo," she added with a smile and a wink.

Spike walked over to her and wrapped both of his arms around her waist. Pulling her to his chest he kissed her firmly, deeply. "Ti amo, anche," he murmured. She savored the feeling of his arms and lips for a moment longer then turned and left the apartment.

* * *

As she walked into her office she threw the uneaten half of her protein bar away. Cameron Stewart, who was sitting at her desk spied Anisa throw the bar away and then involuntarily move her hand to her abdomen.

"Morning," Stewart greeted Anisa with a smile.

"Hey, kiddo," Anisa said setting her bag on her desk.

It had taken weeks, but they were finally closing in on the perpetrator of the abductions, thanks in part to Spike's help running down leads on the computer. They were going to spend the day planning every last detail of the raid.

"Lambert is on his way in," reported Cameron. "Hey, you OK? You look a little...pale. You still have that stomach bug?"

"Yeah, I guess. I don't know. It kinda comes and goes," answered Anisa honestly. "Nothing too bad, though."

"Maybe you should see a doctor?"

"I have seen enough doctors this year to last a lifetime. No thank you!" responded Anisa, pulling the files out of her bag.

Stewart was organizing her notes and mentioned offhandedly, "What if your pregnant?"

Anisa spewed the sip of tea she had in her mouth, "Pregnant?! Haha not possible."

"OK, if you say so," said Cameron not even raising her eyes from her papers.

Ryan walked up and asked the status unaware of the conversation that had just occurred between the two women.

"Uhhh... we are working ….and you just got your lazy butt in here," Anisa snapped at him and then smiled. The three compared notes and developed a tactical plan. Next, they left the office and did a dry run. Cameron drove, Anisa made notes about buildings and vantage points, while Ryan noted all other logistical elements. When they were satisfied with the route and the plan they stopped for lunch. Anisa was starved and ate an entire double bacon burger and fries. Cameron just stared at her inhaling the food. Ryan chuckled at the look of astonishment on the younger woman's face.

Leaning close to Cameron he whispered, "You should see her eat a guacamole burger. You wouldn't want to get too close, you might lose an arm."

"Thanks for the warning," Cameron muttered back. The two had a good laugh at Anisa's expense.

"When you guys are hungry at 4:00 don't come whining to me..." Anisa warned with a smirk. Finishing her burger, she sat back and rubbed her satisfied belly. As she rubbed her stomach, her mind flashed back to Cameron's comment. _"She couldn't be pregnant, could she? She and Spike had taken precautions. It wasn't possible... was it?"_ she wondered.

"Red, you ready. We gotta run this by Duncan to get the go ahead," asked Ryan pulling her from her thoughts.

"Yep, let's go," she answered rising from the table.

Back at the office they presented their plan to Sgt. Duncan, who gave the go ahead. They spent the next couple of hours coordinating with other law enforcement agencies and going over the details with a fine tooth comb. It was about 6:45 by the time the three called it a day and headed home. As Anisa got into her car she realized that she hadn't checked her phone all day. She pulled it out and saw a couple of texts from Spike.

"_**Hey, slow day here. How's it going with you?"**_

"_**Haven't heard from you all day, let me know you are OK."**_ That was sent at about 5:00.

Geeze, he must be worried sick, she thought as she dialed his number and put her car in drive.

"Hey," he answered on the first ring.

"Hi, Hon. Sorry that I didn't call earlier. We were working hard on this case..."

"It's OK. I'm just glad you are a OK" said Spike, sounding a little tired. "You on your way home?"

"Yeah. I didn't plan anything for dinner...sorry," she said apologetically. "I can stop and pick something up?"

"I don't feel like cooking tonight anyway. How about Chinese?"

"Sounds good, I'll stop on the way home. How was your day?"

"Not bad... kind of boring actually. Did some repairs on Babycakes, helped Winnie file. You know heavy duty police work," he answered with mild annoyance.

"Ha ha... probably a good thing for your first day back. You need to take it easy. I should be home in about 45 minutes."

"Good..cuz I missed seeing you today," Spike said smiling to himself.

"Me too. See you soon, "she said hanging up and heading to their favorite Chinese restaurant.

As she pulled into the parking lot, she noticed the pharmacy next to the restaurant and her mind went back to Stewart's comment. Shaking her head to rid herself of the thought, she walked into the restaurant and placed her order. She sat down while she waited for the food to be prepared. Her mind kept going back to the pregnancy comment. She knew she couldn't be...she knew it. She looked up at the pharmacy and decided she should be sure.

"I'll be back in 5 minutes," she said to the woman behind the counter as she walked out the door. She walked to the back of the pharmacy where they kept the feminine supplies. Anisa couldn't believe how nervous she was. She wasn't a teenage sneaking out to buy smokes, she was an adult. She found the pregnancy tests and was shocked by the number of options there were. She had no idea what she was looking for. One even came in a two pack, _"Shouldn't one be enough?_" she wondered. She stood in a daze staring at all of her options.

"Can I help you find something?" came the sweet voice of one of the workers.

"Uh...no...I think I found it," she said nervously and hurriedly grabbed the first package she saw and walked to the front of the store to pay. Anisa paid and quickly shoved the package into the bottom of her purse and left the store. The whole ride home, Anisa's head was swimming. She wondered if she should say something to Spike, but decided that it would be better to know for sure before saying anything.

As she entered the apartment, she saw Spike yawning on the couch. Anisa placed her purse on the floor by the end table and walked over to him. He popped up as best he could with his still sore ribs and gave her a lingering kiss as a greeting and she melted against his body.

Pulling away slightly, she asked, "Are you hungry?" Spike pulled her closer and with a smirk wiggled his eyebrows up and down. She giggled and lifted her hand that was holding the bag containing their dinner.

"Oh...yeah," he said, releasing her and taking the bag from her hand. As they ate, they shared details of their days. Anisa told him about the planned raid for the following day and he told her about the boring day he had at SRU HQ. They talked about Ria and the kids and that Cici's lesson was canceled for the evening because her instructor had a cold.

When they had finished eating they cleared the table. Spike put away the leftovers and Anisa cleaned the dishes at the sink. Spike came up behind Anisa and slid his arms down her arms so that his hands were resting on hers as she washed. His body was pressed closely up against hers and his hips began to sway slightly in what could only be called a sultry slow dance. Her brain was turning to mush. He began nuzzling her neck as they finished washing the last plate. She turned off the water and dried her hands and he moved his hands to her waist and slid them under her shirt and up the front of her body as she leaned back against him. She was sure that if he wasn't holding her up that she would melt into a puddle on the floor.

Spike bent down and kissed the back of her neck and dragging his lower lip along her jawline. He turned her to face him and brought his lips to hers capturing them in a deep sensual kiss. She slid her hands up his back grasping at his shirt. They made their way into the bedroom shedding articles of clothing along the way. They made love for hours that night and fell asleep tangled in each others embrace.

Spike woke early to get to the gym before shift. He showered, dressed and made coffee before returning to the bedroom to say goodbye to Anisa. He kissed her tenderly and whispered, "Ti amo, Bella."

Her eyes fluttered open and saw his handsome face, causing her to smile broadly. "Hey, you," she muttered reaching up to touch his cheek. "You're up early."

"Yeah, thought I would hit the gym for a while before shift."

She sat up covering herself modestly with the sheet. "Mike, you can't workout yet...doctor's orders."

"I'm just gonna ride the bike for a bit. No weights or upper body, stuff, I promise," he said noting the worry in her face. "Babe, I have been sitting around for weeks. I have all this pent up energy."

Anisa pulled his lips down for a kiss, "I thought we expended some of that 'pent up energy' last night."

Spike wrapped his arms around her kissing her passionately. "That we did," he chuckled. "I'll see you later, OK?"

"OK, keep safe," she said.

Standing up and walking toward the door, Spike said, "You keep safe with your raid today."

"Will do."

"Be in touch. Let me know you are safe when its over, OK?"

"Yep."

Anisa swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood up as a wave of nausea swept over her causing her to remember the package in her purse. She grabbed the closest piece of clothing she could find which happened to be Spike's shirt. She smiled because she realized that Spike must have picked up the clothes they had dropped throughout the apartment last night. She retrieved the package and read the directions and then reread them to be sure that she did it properly. She peed on the stick and placed the stick on the counter staring at it anxiously.

"Three... minutes. I guess I should pour myself a cup of coffee while I wait," she muttered to herself. After taking a few sips of coffee, Anisa looked at her watch and saw that about three minutes had passed so she walked calmly back into the bathroom. She swallowed hard as she picked up the test stick staring a the result. Two lines? What does that mean? She read and then reread the directions aloud, "Two blue lines indicate a positive test for pregnancy." She sat down on the closed toilet seat her head spinning with the words, "positive for pregnancy".

"_Wow...pregnant. I was not expecting that. How is this even possible? I have thought about kids, but this didn't happen exactly in the order I had expected or wanted. They had been cautious, but then she remembered that she had been on antibiotics not long ago...could they have reduced the effectiveness of birth control? What if I am an awful mother? What will Mike think? Will he be happy? Will he be overwhelmed and feel trapped? It's not like he doesn't have enough on his plate_ now." Her emotions were swinging between happiness, fear, dread and confusion.

She shook her brain clear of the thoughts racing around it and forced herself to turn on the shower. When she had removed her clothes, she placed her hand on her flat belly and a smile grew on her face. Yes it was a surprise and unexpected, but she was happy about the news. She would worry about the rest later.

On her drive to work, her mind was flooded with questions again... "_What do I do now? I should call my doctor... but I don't have time for that today. NO...today I have to focus on the my job. There is no room for distraction today."_

When she walked into the office both Ryan and Cameron were there getting ready to deploy.

"Hi guys, are we a GO?" greeted Anisa.

"Yep, we have everything set up and we have confirmed that he is at the location," reported Cameron.

"Let's hit it then," said Ryan grabbing his keys and walking to the elevator. The women followed behind reviewing the plan.

The plan went off without a hitch and they got the subject in custody by early afternoon. They spent the remainder of the afternoon working with the crime scene unit looking for clues to the location of missing girl that had not been found. What they found shocked them to the core. There was evidence that the subject had been perpetrating these horrific crimes far longer than they had thought. There was evidence of over 20 other women who had been abducted and brutally murdered. When they were going through the basement, they found a pair of boots which were caked with mud with an unusual yellow tint. The mud appeared to be fairly new.

Speaking to the crime scene crew, Ryan learned that the mud was unique and could only be found in a rural area about an hour north of Toronto. Anisa, Ryan and Cameron rushed to the area as Cameron was typing on her computer to obtain a satellite view of the region. According to his pattern, this victim should still be alive, they just needed to find out where he was keeping her. There were a few abandoned livestock barns in the region. They found nothing in the first one. When they got to he second barn, there were fresh footprints in yellow tinged dust.

"There is probably a feed shoot in the floor," said Cameron stomping on the floor looking for a trap door. Anisa and Ryan both looked at her in surprise. "What? I rode horses so I've spent some time in barns." Anisa and Ryan just smiled.

"Here!" announced Ryan as he reach down opening the trap door. The trio climbed down and sure enough there was a young woman tied to a pole in the corner. Her eyes shone with sheer terror.

Anisa being the smallest and outwardly least threatening of the three, approached the girl.

"It's OK, you are going to be alright. My name is Anisa and I am a detective with RCMP. You are safe now," she said calmly and softly looking into the girl's eyes. She pulled a small utility knife from her pocket and explained, "I am going to use this knife to cut you free, OK?"

Anisa waited for the girl to nod her head before she cut her arms free. The girl slumped against the wall as Anisa quickly assessed her condition. She looked malnourished and had a few bruises and minor abrasions, but otherwise she looked OK. "Do you think you can stand up?"

In a shaky voice the girl asked, "Where is he?"

"It's over, we have him in custody. He can't hurt you anymore," explained Anisa as she saw the girl's eyes flash to Ryan with fear. "These are my partners, that is Ryan and that is Cameron. We are all here to help get you out safely. EMS is on its way. Can you stand?" The girl's eyes returned to Anisa's and she slowly nodded her head. Anisa extended her arms for support but did not reach out and touch her. She waited for the girl to reach for her arm for assistance. Anisa knew too well that women who have been through this type of trauma are very sensitive to touch including friendly, helpful touch.

The girl was clearly in a weakened condition so Anisa asked if her if she would let Ryan could carry her up the ladder. When she gave her permission, Anisa sent Cameron up first to locate EMS. When Ryan and the girl arrived at the top of the ladder, EMS was there waiting. She was taken to the hospital and her family notified of her rescue. Anisa, Ryan and Cameron followed in their own vehicle.

Anisa checked her watch and saw that it was already 6:30 and they were nowhere near finished for the day. She quickly called Spike and explained that everything had gone as planned but that she wouldn't be home for a few hours. Spike told her he was happy that it had gone well and that he would see her when she got home.

When Anisa finally arrived home after several hours interrogating the suspect, she glanced at her watch and saw it was after midnight. Opening the door to her apartment quietly, she noted that it was dark and there was no sound. She put down her bag and went to the kitchen for a quick nibble of something to eat. She decided not to wake Spike to tell him her news. There would be plenty of time to talk.

As she climbed into, bed Spike sleepily reached for her pulling her close. She snuggled into him and the last thing she remembered was hearing him say, "Ti amo."

Spike rose early again the next morning. He was feeling good and looking forward to doing something productive. As he picked up his bag at 5:30, he looked at Anisa's sleeping form in the bed. He didn't know what time she had gotten home, but he figured she must be exhausted so he kissed her lightly and said, "Ciao, bella." Her eyes fluttered open slightly. Spike then said, "I'll see you tonight, stay safe."

She nodded her head and said, "You too."

"I love you," he said as he headed out the bedroom door." He heard her reply, "Love you too."

Anisa finally opened her eyes about an hour later and looked at the clock knowing she had to get up. As she made her way to the bathroom, she felt a wave of nausea and she remembered her new reality. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror and noticed a trace of a smile. She was happy about this new development. She was anxious to tell Spike the news, but wondered how he would react. Would he be happy, or angry, or scared?

She showered and dressed and went to pour herself a cup of coffee, but stopped herself. She had heard that pregnant women should not drink caffeine, so she made herself a cup herbal tea. She was so tired and wasn't sure that this would cut it. She made her way into the office where she saw Cameron just arriving and Ryan walked in a moment later. They briefed Duncan and then they went to the hospital to speak to the victim. She knew it was going to be another long day.

* * *

Spike walked into the barn with a slight spring in his step and was greeted by Winnie's happy voice, "Hey Spike. You're in a good mood this morning."

"Winnie, the sun is shining and I am feeling better every day. It's gonna be a good one, I can tell," he answered.

"Well, I have another stack of filing if you get bored," she teased causing Spike to laugh as he walked into the locker room.

Team One had a hot call to a high rise apartment building where there was a report of a man with a gun. Winnie informed the team that he was suspected to be holding at least one hostage. When they arrived on the scene, Greg looked at Spike and motioned to the command truck and he nodded.

Spike heard Ed give out a tactical plan as he tapped on the keys to access the security system of the high-rise.

"Spike, what do you have for us?" Ed barked.

"I've tapped into the security system, but if he is in one of the units I can't see him...unless..."

"Unless what, Spike?"

"Hang on a second..." answered Spike as he feverishly tapped on the keyboard. Meanwhile, Team One was making their way to the the 12th floor, with Sam on the rooftop of an adjacent building.

"Yes!" exclaimed Spike. "Guys, we have eyes in. Check your PDA's."

They all pulled out their PDA's and saw that were looking inside the apartment unit. They could see a man in his mid 40's frantically waving his arms at a woman of similar age cowering in the corner of the room. He had a handgun in his right hand as it waved about.

"Spike, can we get sound so we can hear what they are saying?" asked Greg.

"I don't know. I will check in a second, but I do have a name. The unit is rented to a Lisa Scarff. No male on the lease. Working on the sound."

Ed looked at his PDA and positioned his team for entry. Sam informed the team that if they could keep the subject in the main room, he would have the solution.

Now that everyone was in place, Greg began the negotiation. At the sound of Greg's voice the man inside panicked and grabbed the woman causing her to scream.

"Boss, he is escalating," reported Spike.

"Copy," said Greg. He then continued the negotiation in a calm voice explaining that they were there to help and wanted everybody to get out alive.

The standoff lasted for a little over 2 hours. Greg was finally able to convince the man to surrender his weapon and release his ex-girlfriend. After the suspect was placed under arrest, Team One made their way back to the trucks while Spike shut down the command truck. As Spike exited the command truck Ed threw his arm across his shoulder.

"So...how did you get us a view in the apartment?" Ed asked with a smirk.

With a sly smile, Spike simply said, "Magic."

Sam began putting the rifle away in the truck and said, "That, and the computer in the house had a camera in it." Spike chuckled.

Ed was still curious, so he turned to Sam, "I still don't understand how he was able to get into a random computer."

Sam laughed, "Me neither...he's Spike."

"Hey, Spike, does that mean that you could just tap a few keys and have access to any computer?" asked Ed.

"Well...not exactly," Spike answered trying to dodge the question.

"What does that mean?" persisted Ed.

Spike was reluctant to answer so he stalled enough that Greg stepped in for him, "Eddie, don't ask because you might not like the answer."

"Thanks, Boss," said Spike as he got into the truck with Greg.

Greg grinned broadly, "Michelangelo, I don't want to know what you do to get the access you get. I'm just glad you are on our side." Spike just grinned and nodded his head. He checked his phone for a message from Anisa and saw a couple The last one said that she was going to be late because they had found a burial site.

After the debrief, Spike headed home feeling good and looking forward to his shift tomorrow even though it was a Saturday. He was tired, but he felt like he was back as part of the team. It seemed like it had been a long road back. When he got to Anisa's apartment, he called his parents to check in on his dad. His mom sounded worried because his dad was coughing more than he had been. Spike tried his best to reassure her that it was going to be OK, but they both knew that the end was drawing near.

It was 7:00 when he texted Anisa: _**"What time do you think you'll be home? Should I save dinner?"**_

He had made a quick and easy pasta dish.

"_**Sorry, hon. Don't save dinner. Won't be home til late. Will tell you all about it tomorrow," **_answered Anisa.

"_**Don't forget I work tomorrow. Tell me about it tomorrow night, OK?"**_

"_**OK, TTYL."**_

"_**Ciao" **_said Spike.

* * *

When Anisa and her partners visited the victim in the hospital, they learned that the she would be alright, physically at least. They then went back to the jail where the suspect was being held. They conducted another couple of hours of interrogation and learned of the possible location of the bodies of some of his other victims. They took a crime scene investigation team with them out to the remote location near one of the other barns. While the CSI's were using ground penetrating radar to search for burial sites, Anisa, Cameron and Ryan went into the third barn which had yet to be searched. What they found there was the stuff of horror movies.

One of the stalls had been converted to a torture chamber of sorts with chains and whips and other devices. A room at the end of the barn, which had probably once been a small office, was now a trophy room where the subject collected and displayed various mementos and pictures of his victims. Some of the pictures appeared to be over 10 years old. Anisa took one picture down to examine it more closely.

"Hey guys," she called to her partners. "Check this out. See in the corner of this picture, it looks like you can see a trap door next to one of these stalls. In this picture it looks like it is open. I bet if we find this trap door, we will find more clues."

The three then set about searching for the trap door based on the approximate location in the picture. It only took them about 45 minutes for them to locate it, but it took all three of them to open it. One by one they descended the ladder into the dark room. Their flashlights revealed a macabre scene of bones and skeletons in peculiar poses. Most of the bodies had decomposed such that only bones remained, a few still had some flesh on them. The three detectives stood in the room surrounded by death looking at what must have been 30 bodies, none of the detectives able to speak.

The stench crept into Anisa's nose and she swallowed hard to beat back the nausea that was beginning to rise in her stomach. When she was unable to suppress it any longer, she climbed the ladder as fast as she could and ran outside. She emptied the contents of her stomach outside of the barn, not wanting to contaminate the crime scene. She was leaning against the building still retching when she felt Ryan's firm hand on her back. Somehow that helped to calm her enough so she could stand up.

"You OK?" he asked in his typically gruff way. In all the years he had known her, she had never vomited at any of the many gruesome sights she had encountered.

She nodded and replied, "Not sure what came over me. Sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it. You think you can go round up some CSI's to process the cellar? Stewart and I will finish searching the barn," Ryan said looking her directly in the eyes trying to see what was really going on.

She nodded and slowly trotted off toward some crime scene people.

They were there for hours searching for evidence and clues for the case. When they finally headed back to HQ it was about 5:00 and they still had hours of work ahead of them. Anisa texted Spike to let him know that she would be late getting home again.

* * *

It was after midnight when Anisa turned the key in her apartment door. Again, it was quiet and dark as she made her way to the bedroom. By the glow of her cell phone light, she saw Spike lying on his side, sleeping peacefully. She got ready for bed and climbed in alongside him. Again, he involuntarily slid his arms around her and drew her close to him. They lay spooned up against each other with Anisa's hand on top of his which was wrapped around her waist and resting on her abdomen. She thought about her little family snuggled all together: Spike, her and baby Scarlatti. She fell asleep with a smile of joy on her face.

Buon giorono, bella – good morning beautiful

Ti amo – I love you

Ti amo, anche - I love you, too

Ti amo, Bella – I love you, beautiful

Ciao – Hello or Goodbye

* * *

**A/N**: I know this was not a big surprise revelation to many of you, but I hope you liked they way it unfolded. Stay tuned for some more action and angst in the next chappy. too.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: ** First, I'd like to thank Antonella for reading and reviewing, but especially for the guidance with my Italian. Second, thanks to all who have read and left reviews, I am glad you are enjoying this story.

This is a very angsty chapter and I hope my readers will understand all of the emotions I tried to portray.

"_Phrases in quotes and italics_" are thoughts.

"_**Phrases in quotes, italics and bold"**_ are text messages.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Flashpoint related except some DVDs.

* * *

**Knowing where you need to be**

**Chapter 22**

It was 5:00 AM Saturday morning and Spike rose without waking Anisa knowing that she had gotten home very late and did not have to be at work on Saturday. He kissed her goodbye as he was leaving, which caused her to stir a bit, but she didn't wake up.

Anisa was exhausted and slept until 10:15. When she finally pulled her weary body out of bed, she noticed that she was not feeling nauseated, which, on one hand was a relief, but on the other hand made her nervous that something was wrong. She poured herself some tea and got on the internet to search for morning sickness. What she learned surprised her. First, the nausea was not only in the mornings, but could occur anytime throughout the day...but she already knew that. Second, it can be constant or sporadic. Third, it typically diminishes as the pregnancy progresses and the woman's body becomes adjusted to increased hormones. The more she read, the more excited she became and the more frightened.

Again she worried about how Spike would feel about the pregnancy._ "Would he be angry or upset? Would he blame her for not being careful enough? Would he be happy? What if he didn't want the baby? Was that possible? What would she do if he wasn't ready for a family now? That question was easy...she would have the baby...alone. She wasn't sure how she would manage it, but she knew she would figure it out because she had made up her mind, wanted this child."_

She decided that she would stop speculating on what Spike might or might not feel about this child. She was even more anxious now to talk to Spike. Anisa's baby thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of her phone.

"Hi Ria," greeted Anisa after seeing the caller ID.

"Hi Anisa. How's it going?"

"Good. I'm having a quiet morning. Mike had to work today."

"I can't imagine what that would be like... you know, having a quiet morning," chuckled Ria. "Listen, I was wondering if you would mind watching the boys tonight at our house. Joe is going to a cabin overnight with some buddies and the boys wanted to show you and Mike their new Wii game. Would that be OK?"

"Sure. That'll be fun. See you later."

"See you later and thanks again."

Anisa got back on the internet to do some more research on what she should and shouldn't do to have a healthy baby. She had just made a sandwich and sat back down at her computer when her phone rang again.

"Hi Mike, how's your day going?"

"Hi 'Nis. Pretty slow actually, we are out on patrol. What are you up to?"

"Not much. Slept late and now I am just surfing the net."

"Find anything interesting?" he probed playfully.

"A couple of things. I'll tell you all about it later when you get home," she teased, not wanting to distract him and also wanting to keep her surprise to herself until they were face to face. "Ria asked if we would watch the boys at her place. Apparently they got a new Wii game they want to show us."

"Cool, but..."

"Joe is spending the night at a buddies cabin, so he won't be home," she interrupted knowing what his concern would be.

"OK. I'll see you there, OK?"

"Sounds good. Keep the peace, Babe."

"Copy that," he said with a smile.

* * *

Most of the shift was slow, so Team One was on patrol. It was late afternoon and Spike was in the truck with Raf. The two were having a good time trying to "one-up" each others stories of childhood fearlessness when Winnie's voice came over the headsets. They had a hot call...

The team was called to a warehouse in a run down neighborhood where shots had been heard. Spike was pulling up blueprints for the building on his laptop as Raf pulled into the parking lot.

Getting out of the truck with the laptop, Spike said, "Guys, there are three doors and the interior is broken into four separate areas." Spike tapped on the keyboard a bit more then announced, "Looks like this placed was used primarily for storage, but it was purchased by a numbered entity last year, so it's anybody's guess what it is used for now." Ed and Greg talked briefly to strategize, when they heard more gunfire inside the warehouse.

Ed looked at Sam who confirmed his suspicion, "Sounded like at least two shooters."

Ed nodded and began giving assignments based on protocol (2 people to breach entry together in an unknown situation), "Sam and Jules you take the front entrance, Raf and Boss you take the side entrance, Spike your wi..."

"In the truck," finished Greg.

"Seriously, Boss?" questioned Spike knowing that having him in the truck was leaving Ed to breach alone. Spike looked at Ed for sympathy and Ed simply shook his head.

"The Boss is right, we need you to try to get us eyes so we don't have to go in blind," Ed said trying to appease his teammate, but understanding how frustrated he was.

"Fine," grumbled Spike as he slammed the door to the command truck behind him. He tapped on the keys looking for anything that might provide a visual, but there were no cameras in or around the warehouse. He managed to tap into a satellite view of the outside of the building. He sent that video to his team's PDA's. He continued to wrack his brain on how to help his team sitting inside the truck, since there were no video cameras inside the building. They had no idea how many people they were dealing with or what was actually in the building. Then it hit him...they probably all had cell phones. If he could separate the cellular signals, he might be able to give them a rough estimate of how many people were in the building.

"Guys, I think I may have something here," said Spike.

"What it is, Spike?" asked Greg.

"It looks like you may have about 8 people in there, based on the number of cell signals emanating from within. I can't be sure, but it is the best I can do from _here_," said Spike trying to not let his annoyance show through.

"Thanks, Spike," said Greg.

They decided on a hard entry through two of the entrances leaving one unattended. The team threw smoke bombs to create a distraction and then entered the warehouse. Spike could hear his team identifying themselves and yelling for them to put the guns down. He hated that was sitting in the truck listening and not being able to help his team. _"This must be how Winnie feels,"_ he thought. He watched the satellite picture intently as if he believed that the more intensely he stared at it, the more likely it would be for him to see through the roof top. He heard a rally of gun fire and then silence.

"Team One, status!" Spike yelled as he stood up from his chair his eyes glued to the screen. "STATUS!"

One-by-one Spike heard all of his teammates say, "No harm." As he breathed a sigh of relief, he saw the back door of the warehouse open and a figure run out. He could tell by the subject's gait that it wasn't one of his team.

"Guys, somebody ran out the back door," said Spike. He could tell that they had their hands full containing the subjects inside the warehouse. He couldn't take it any more so he ran out of the truck after the subject. He tackled the guy to ground and cuffed him. Spike was walking him back to the truck when the rest of his team exited the warehouse. As the subjects were handed over to uniformed officers, Team One packed up the trucks and prepared to head back to the barn.

"Spike, why don't you ride with me?" said Greg quietly. Spike nodded and got into the passenger seat feeling like a little boy who was about to get in trouble. When they were on their way back, Greg glanced at the younger man who was staring at his hands looking guilty and remorseful. He got Spike's attention and indicated he should take off his earpiece, which he did.

"Is there anything you want to say to me?" asked Greg quietly.

Spike fidgeted and was tempted to make joke, but he could see from Greg's expression that it wouldn't be received well. "Boss, I know I was supposed to stay in the truck, but I saw one of the subjects escaping and you all had your hands full with the other subjects. I knew I could get to him and take him down." They had stopped at a stop light and Greg turned and glared at him. "I'm sorry, Boss," Spike said remorsefully.

"Spike, I know you hated being in the truck today, but you defied a direct order." For a moment Greg locked eyes with the young man then turned his attention back to the road. "You could have re-injured your lung and that could have... had devastating consequences..."

"Yeah...but I'm fine, not a twinge of pain," protested Spike.

Greg nodded his head, "I get that, but I gotta know that when I give you an order, you will follow it."

"I understand, Boss. Won't happen again," said Spike expecting some official reprimand.

Greg nodded his head as they pulled into the parking spot at the barn. Once the truck was parked, he turned and looked at Spike and said, "We could have lost you...I could have lost you. I...just..." Greg couldn't finish his sentence, so he turned and got out of the SUV.

Spike was moved by Greg's words, "Boss, I would not have done that if I didn't know that I could do it. I would not endanger my team that way. Trust me."

Greg simply nodded and got out of the car and that was the end of it. Much to Spike's surprise, there was no official reprimand or punishment. By the time they finished the debrief and were in the locker room, it was about 8:45. He knew that he wouldn't make it to his sister's house before 9:15 so he texted Anisa to ask if she wanted him to meet her there or just head home.

* * *

Anisa arrived on time at Ria's house and was greeted with smiles. She and the boys made dinner and then played with their new Mario Kart game. She knew that Mike would have loved playing it with the boys, but she was surprised at how much fun she had. She was really enjoying this time spent with the kids tonight, maybe it was her new "status". Before she knew it, it was time to put the boys to bed. They were brushing their teeth when Anisa received Spike's text. She told him to meet her at home since Ria was due home soon. After tucking them in she went downstairs and settled in on the couch to watch TV. About 10 minutes into a repeat of the "Big Bang Theory", she heard a little sound coming from upstairs so she went up to investigate. Ryan was fast asleep, so she opened Timmy's door and saw him sitting up in bed.

"Hey, buddy, you OK?" she asked taking a seat next to him on the bed.

"I just had a dream and I got a little scared. But it was just dream, so I'm OK," he answered trying to convince himself and sounding more grown-up than he actually was.

"Sometimes it helps to talk about it..." she prodded.

"OK," he said a little reluctantly. Then he continued, "There was this big monster, and he was trying to get me."

Anisa nodded asking, "What did you do?"

"I think I jumped out of the window because I remembered falling before I woke up."

"You know that there are no monsters, right? And I am here ...I won't let anything happen to you... Ever." Timmy looked at Anisa and he smiled and nodded his head. "Do you want me to stay with you until you fall asleep?"

He just nodded again so Anisa laid on the bed next to him and cradled him in her arms. It didn't take long for him to fall asleep, but Anisa didn't get up right away. She kind of liked the feeling of cradling the toddler in her arms. Soon, she heard keys in the door and assumed that Ria and CiCi were home. She untangled herself from the boy being very careful not to wake him. She quietly stepped out of his room and turned to close the door softly. When she turned around to go down the stairs she was startled to physically bump into Joe.

"Uh Joe..What are you doing here?" she stammered trying to regain her equilibrium.

"I live here...what are **_you_** doing here?" he grumbled.

"I was watching the boys for Ria while she took CiCi to her guitar lesson," responded Anisa confidently, regaining her composure. "Since you are home, I will head out," she said trying to step around him. He stepped in front of her blocking her way. "Excuse me, Joe, I don't want any trouble. I just want to go home," she said managing to get a couple of steps closer to the stairs.

Joe stepped in front of her again and she could tell he had been drinking when he said, "What were you doing in my son's room? Are you some kind of pervert?" He took another step toward her forcing her to take a step closer to the banister.

Anisa straightened her shoulders to let him know that he did not intimidate her. "No. He had a bad dream and I was trying to console him. Now please let me pass," she said firmly.

He took half a step back, so she started to walk past him, but just as she was passing him, he bumped her with his shoulder. The bump was strong enough to knock her off balance and she stumbled slightly. Her heel slipped off the top of the step. She reached for the railing to steady herself, but she missed and tumbled down the stairs. All she could think about was that she had to protect the baby, so she curled up into a ball as best she could. The next thing she remembered was seeing Ria kneeling over her asking her if she were alright.

"Uh.. I think so," Anisa said as she tried to sit up, but was hit by a sharp pain in her abdomen. She curled in over herself.

"Stay still, EMS is on it's way," directed Ria seeing from her expression that she was in pain. Anisa nodded her head. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw CiCi looking at her with tears in her eyes and looking frightened.

"I'm OK. I'm going to be fine. Don't worry CiCi," she managed to verbalize trying to hide the pain.

"What happened?" asked Ria gently stroking Anisa's hair.

"Joe and I were... talking at the top of the stairs and I lost my balance," Anisa explained. Ria glanced to the top of the stairs where Joe was still standing. He put his hands up as if to indicate that he was innocent.

Ria's face grew angry as she stared at her husband, but before she could say anything there was a knock on the door. CiCi ran to the door, opening it and allowing the EMTs to enter. Ria explained to them how Anisa had fallen down the stairs. They put her in the ambulance and Ria was about to climb in with her, but Anisa wouldn't let her.

"Ria, I'm gonna be fine. Stay with your family. Your kids need you here, Joe has been drinking and I don't think it would be a good idea to leave them with him. Just call Mike and tell him to meet me at the hospital," implored Anisa. "I promise, I will be fine. Just some bruises, I promise," she stated emphatically. Ria, nodded as they closed the door to the ambulance.

* * *

By the time Spike arrived at the hospital, Anisa had been examined, released and was sitting in a chair waiting for him. When she lifted her eyes to him, he noticed that they were red and puffy as if she had been crying. He rushed to her side as she stood up.

"Anisa, what happened are you OK?" he asked, his chocolate eyes colored with worry.

She nodded her head, "Yeah, I'm fine. Let's just go home." She slid her hand into his and began walking toward the door squeezing his hand a little more tightly than she usually did.

Spike knew to not say anything. He opened her door and made sure she was seated safely. He gently turned her face toward him, looking into her eyes. He saw something... but he wasn't sure what. He kissed her tenderly then walked to his side of the car. The ride home was silent. Spike placed his hand on top of hers bringing a slight smile to her face.

"You going to tell me what happened?" he asked mildly.

"Yeah...but can we get home first? I just want to be home," she sighed. Spike nodded and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

When they entered the apartment, Anisa straightened up as best she could with the cramps in her stomach only coming sporadically. Spike sat on the sofa and Anisa took a seat on the coffee table across from him.

Before she had a chance to say anything, Spike asked, "Did Joe show up? Did he touch you?" Spike's words were dripping with ire.

"Yes, but it is not what you think. He just bumped into me at the top of the stairs and I lost my balance," she explained calmly in an attempt to calm him.

Spike wasn't sure if he believed her completely, so he asked, "Are you OK? What did the doctor say?"

She nodded her head and looked up at the ceiling trying to stop the tears, "Mike, I was pregnant."

Spike's eyes doubled in size as he repeated the only word he heard in the sentence, "Pregnant." He sat back in his seat, his eyes glazed over still repeating the word "pregnant". The silence was deafening and seemed to go on forever. They both sat there, heads swimming with their own thoughts.

Spike: _"Pregnant? How can she be pregnant? She was on the pill, wasn't she? What am I supposed to do? What are we going to do? This is not great timing...with Dad being so sick and us not being married. Maybe we should get married. A BABY...I don't know how to be a father. What if I suck at it? What if the baby hates me? This is scarier than defusing a bomb...at least with a bomb I know the outcome either way. But...it might be cool being a dad. I could teach the baby how to build a robot..."_

Anisa: _"Why does he keep repeating 'pregnant'? And now he isn't saying anything else. He isn't even looking at me. Is he upset? SAY SOMETHING! Did he even hear me? Hold me and tell me it's going to be OK and that you love me. He should at least ask me how I'm feeling, or how far along I was, but he isn't saying anything." _

But he said nothing, he sat unmoving in his seat, a wide-eyed look on his face. Anisa interpreted his silence as him not wanting to deal with the situation. She was hurt by his outward lack of reaction and decided that she could manage just fine on her own. She stood up and said coldly, "Thanks for the ride. You can go home now." She turned away from him and walked into her bedroom closing the door behind her.

The sound of the door closing pulled Spike from his trance and his brain replayed what she had just said, "You can go home now." _"What? Why is she telling me to leave? She just told me that she is going to have a baby, my baby, our baby and now she wants me to leave? That makes no sense."_ Then it dawned on him that he had not reacted at all to her news...he had said absolutely nothing. It crossed his mind that she may have misinterpreted that to mean he was not happy. _"Didn't she know that his brain took a little time to processes this kind of stuff? She must be scared, too..."_

He rose from his seat, walked to the bedroom door. He tapped gently on the door and asked, "Anisa, can I come in?" He thought he heard a grunt come from the other side of the door and decided that meant "Yes." He slowly opened the door, and saw her curled up on the bed with tears streaming down her cheeks. He rushed over and knelt down next to the bed gently stroking her hair.

"Sweetheart, I'm sorry. I was just processing what you were saying. You know how my brain works," he said soothingly. "We are going to have a baby, that is great. I am really happy, aren't you?"

"Mike, didn't you hear what I said?" she sputtered.

"Yeah, you said you were pregnant. I know it's a little scary and unexpected, but it's also exciting and wonderful," Spike rambled. "This is really amazing news and we are going to make such a great family. I know its intimidating and unnerving, but I promise you, it's going to be OK, because we will be together. We will figure this all out together. I love you. It's gonna be OK."

"No! It's not going to be OK," she wept. "It's never going to be OK."

"Sure it is, Babe. We are going to be parents of a beautiful baby. We will love it and cherish it and everything will be good," he again tried to reassure her. He began babbling again, "Hopefully it will have your hair and ..."

She was sobbing now, "STOP, Mike! It's not going to be OK! You didn't hear what I said...I WAS pregnant." She desperately tried to catch her breath between sobs, "I'm not anymore." In a voice barely above a whisper she said, "I lost the baby." She buried her face in her hands as her body shook uncontrollably.

Spike wrapped his arms around her and held her, "Oh, 'Nis, I'm sorry. What can I do?" He tried to console her, but her sobs shook him to the core. He wanted to take this pain away, but he didn't know how. He climbed onto the bed lifting her into his lap. He held her and rocked her for he didn't know how long, but eventually the shaking subsided a bit, the sobbing slowed to a sputter and her breathing evened out. Spike lifted her face so he could see her eyes, and said "I love you." He kissed her tenderly. "Are you feeling alright? Can I get you anything?" She shook her head 'No' and rested her head on his chest. She sat there enveloped in his arms until her breathing returned to normal.

In a shaky voice, she said, "I'm sorry..."

"Babe, you have nothing to be sorry for."

"I should have told you about the baby earlier, but we haven't had any time to talk, I'm sorry..." she mumbled as the tears hit the back of her eyes.

"When did you find out?" he asked softly, stroking her hair.

"I took a test on Thursday morning after you went to work, but we haven't seen each other..." she trailed off as the tears continued to fall.

"Shhhh, I know," he said as he pulled her closer kissing the top of her head. "It's OK," he whispered holding her tight.

She tried to stop the tears, but they kept coming. Spike said nothing and just held her, feeling his heart ache for her pain. As he gently rubbed her back consoling her, his fingers felt through the fabric of her shirt the outline of the scar on her back. She had been through so much loss and pain in her life...it didn't seem fair.

Anisa was exhausted both physically and emotionally. She felt raw and unable to control all of her thought processes, "When I first found out, I was so scared...this wasn't how I wanted to start a family...but, Mike, I really wanted this baby," she lifted her eyes to his.

Spike looked into her eyes empathetically, "I know, Babe, me, too."

She buried her face in his chest as the sobs wracked her body once more. As he reclined, he held her close and realized that his cheeks were burning as the tears rolled down them. Although he had just learned about this child, it's loss broke his heart. He could only imagine the pain she was feeling. "Anisa, I love you. We will get through this, together. I promise." They fell asleep in each others arms as the tears trickled down their faces.

* * *

A/N: OK so... don't hate me...sorry, but this is how it played out in my head so I had to write it that way. I hope you guys can forgive me enough to stick with the story for a few more chapters, I think you will be happy with the way it turns out.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N:** Thanks to all those who have continued to read my story and especially those who have taken the time to review. I have never experienced a miscarriage, so I hope I have come close to expressing the sense of loss such a tragedy would evoke. I also guessed at the little bit of medical stuff. This chapter is full of angst, a little whump and spattering of fluff. I hope you enjoy.

"_Phrases in quotes and italics_" are thoughts.

"_**Phrases in quotes, italics and bold"**_ are text messages.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Flashpoint related except some DVDs.

* * *

**Knowing where you need to be**

**Chapter 23**

It was a restless night for Anisa because the cramping would wake her every hour or so. Whenever she would roll even a little bit away from Spike, he would draw her close to him again, wrapping his arms around her protectively. When the sun finally poked through the window forcing Anisa's eyes open, she realized that she was alone in the bed. She rolled over groaning, as another wave of cramping gripped her abdomen. The doctor at the hospital had told her to expect it and that it would diminish over the next couple of days. She pinched her eyes closed at the memory of the loss from the previous night. She heard his voice before she saw his face.

"Morning, sweetie," he said lovingly as he knelt down on the floor next to her side of the bed. He placed a cup of coffee on the nightstand for her.

She mustered a weak smile and said, "Hi, honey." He kissed her softly then moved back slightly looking into her eyes.

"I have a question to ask you, OK?" he said hesitantly.

His apprehension made her nervous. She didn't want to relive the moments from last night, but she said quietly, almost questioningly, "OK..."

Spike looked down as he rubbed his hands on his thighs. Then glancing back up into her slate blue eyes, he asked, "Will you marry me?"

Anisa stopped breathing momentarily as she allowed his question to sink into her brain. She reached out and touch his cheek where his dimple lived. She looked into those chocolate pools which showed the warmth of his soul, as she spoke, "Mike, I love you more than anything, but I have to say no." She saw the sadness and dejection in his eyes. "Not now...not like this." Spike went to stand up but Anisa grabbed his hand, gently pulling him to sit on the bed next to her. "Babe, we have just been through one of the most devastating and traumatic events two people can go through. This is not the time to make a life altering decision. We...I need to recover from this before I can make that kind of decision."

Spike sat silently on the bed looking at his hands as they cradled one of Anisa's tiny ones. He wasn't sure what to do or say now. Finally, without lifting his eyes from his hands, he said, "You know, when you said you were pregnant, one of the first things that came to mind was, that you must have been so scared, especially since we weren't married. I don't want you to ever worry about that again."

"That is exactly my point, Mike. I don't want to marry you because I am afraid of being pregnant and alone. If we end up getting married, I want us to do it for the right reasons," Anisa said gently trying help him understand without hurting him.

Spike turned to look at her again, understanding her point on an intellectual level, but still feeling the pain on an emotional level. He said softly, "OK." He stood up, feeling a little sad because he knew that he wanted to marry her and that, although the pregnancy was the catalyst, it wasn't the reason for his proposal.

Knowing that she had hurt him with her decline, she also knew it was the right thing to do at this point in time. "Mike, I love you," she said definitively.

He turned to look at her, offering a weak smile, "I know."

"Will you promise me something?" she asked sitting up in bed. He nodded at her. "Promise me, that if you still feel the same way in few months, you'll ask me again."

Spike smiled, and said, "OK. But I can promise you now...my feelings won't change."

He left the bedroom and went to make breakfast trying to push his feelings aside. That was the one and only time he had put himself out there and he had been shot down. Hopefully, the next time it would be different, if there were a next time. He decided that he wouldn't think about that now.

Spike brought Anisa breakfast in bed and sat down next to her.

"Aren't you going to eat?" she asked.

"I ate while I was cooking. How are you feeling?" Spike asked.

"Not too bad. At least the nausea is gone," she said trying to sound upbeat. She was afraid that declining Spike's proposal may have changed their relationship forever. However, she knew she wasn't ready to say yes...not yet.

Spike grinned and remarked, "Well, I guess it is a relief to know that you are not allergic to me."

Anisa chuckled and said, "Yep."

When she had finished eating Spike took her tray back into the kitchen. Anisa reclined again feeling exhausted. She heard Spike answer his phone. Based on his half of the conversation she gleaned that it was his mother on the phone asking if he was coming to Sunday supper.

"No Ma, I don't think so. Anisa … isn't feeling well and I think I should stay here with her. No, she is going to be fine, just a little under the weather. How's Dad?" Anisa saw him wrinkle his brow in concern. He rubbed his eyes, she recognized this as a habit of his when he felt stressed. "OK, Ma, I will try to come by in the next couple of days, but I really can't make it today. I'll call you later, Ciao."

He walked into the bedroom feeling a burden on his shoulder. His dad was coughing even more and his mom was worried that he wouldn't last much longer.

"Mike, you should go to dinner at your parents'. I am just going to be lying around all day," Anisa suggested. She would do anything for one more day with her father and she did not want to be the cause of him missing any time with his dad.

He stood at the foot of the bed and looked at her, thinking about her words. Anisa could see the anguish in his eyes as he turned and quietly walked out of the bedroom. He sat down on the sofa out of Anisa's view. Resting his elbows on his knees, he put his head in his hands in despair. "_How can I go on like nothing happened? We just lost a child, the woman I love has just turned down my marriage proposal and my father is dying. I'm afraid she is pushing me away and I don't know what to do."_ It felt as though his life is spiraling out of control.

He was so deep in thought that he didn't hear Anisa come into the living room. He felt her sit down next to him, so he pulled his head from his hands looking in her direction. He did his best to hide his anguish by pasting a smile on his face.

"Hey, you probably shouldn't be out of bed," he said softly.

She looked at his beautiful face and her eyes began to tear up. She had no words to express her feelings so she took his face in both of her hands. Pulling his lips to hers, she kissed him deeply hoping to make him understand how intense her feelings for him were. Because he was a man, she was confident that his feelings about the loss of their child were different from hers, no less profound, but different.

"What was that for?" he asked when they separated.

"I didn't want you to get the wrong idea," she said.

"About what?"

"Mike, I love you and I want you in my life, I can't imagine my life without you."

Relaxing back into the sofa, Spike gently pulled her against his chest. "I know...I know."

"Another reason I think you should go to your parents is so Ria and CiCi know I'm OK," she said watching him nod his head. Not sure she had convinced him, she added, "I can get dressed and we can go together, if you would rather."

Spike shook his head and said, "No, you need to rest for at least another 12 hours. How about we see how the day goes, OK?" He reclined a bit more and gently stroked her arm as she rested her head on his shoulder. It wasn't long before she dozed off and Spike was again left to his thoughts.

About and hour later, she finally stirred when Spike's phone buzzed. "I think I am going to lie down in bed," said Anisa kissing him sweetly as she got up.

Spike picked up his phone, "Hi Ria."

"Hi Mikey, how's Anisa?"

Spike wasn't sure exactly what to say, but he knew that Anisa wouldn't want the details of the baby divulged. That was private … just between the two of them. "She's doing OK. A little sore, but nothing broken."

"I'm glad it wasn't anything serious. CiCi and I were so worried last night, but we didn't want to call because it was so late."

"No need to worry, she is going to be fine. Did you see what happened?"

"No, I didn't. Cici and I walked in just as Anisa hit the bottom step. Joe was standing at the top of the steps," answered Ria. Spike heard an irritated tone in her voice as she spoke about her husband. Then she continued, "Joe said he didn't push her, but we both know he is not a fan of hers, so I wasn't surprised that he did nothing to help her when she started to fall."

"Ri, why do you put up with him?"

"I don't know. I used to say it was because of the kids, but now, that doesn't seem like a good enough reason," she said with sadness in her voice. After a brief pause, she continued. "You are going to Mom and Dad's today, right? Dad is not sounding so good," Ria said pleadingly.

Spike rubbed his forehead hoping that would clear his mind, but it didn't. He was torn between seeing his dying father and taking care of his girlfriend. He didn't know which was the right thing to do. "Um..I'm not sure. I was thinking that I should stay here with Anisa since she should be resting all day."

"Oh...yeah sure. I understand," said Ria not wanting to put any pressure on him.

"Let me see how Anisa is feeling this afternoon and then I'll decide, OK."

"OK, Mike,. No pressure," she said hanging up.

He walked around the apartment trying to decide what to do. This was one of those times he really missed Lou. Lou could make the most complicated situations or problems seem simple. "Gimme a hand with this one, buddy," he pleaded softly to himself. He wanted to be in both places at the same time. He gazed out the window at the gray Toronto skyline contemplating the situation. He had no idea that he had been standing there an hour until Anisa came up behind him and slid her hands around his waist. He turned to face her and saw that her eyes were a little red.

"You OK?" he asked touching her cheek.

She nodded, and said, "The doctor said I should expect to be weepy for a little while because of the rapid change in hormones. You doing OK?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he lied. She raised her eyebrow at him in a questioning, almost threatening way. "I was just thinking about you and my dad and everything...," he confessed.

"Mike, you should go see him. I will be fine. I will be sad and I will probably cry, but there is nothing you or anyone can do about that," she said. "Just go for a couple of hours and then come back. You'll feel better and so will I."

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, kissing her forehead as he did. "OK, I'll go for a little while. Will you promise me you will call me if you need anything?" He watched her nod her head and then added, "Especially if you need someone to cry with." Spike steadied his breathing and blinked back the tear that threatened to spill from his eye.

Kissing him tenderly, she said, "I promise."

* * *

Spike's mom was thrilled and a little surprised to see him when he arrived. He explained that Anisa sent him along even though she was not feeling well and that she sent her love. In no time, Spike was swarmed by his nephews and his mood was immediately elevated. He was a little surprised to see Joe there. The two men acknowledged each other with a nod and a glare. During dinner, Spike noticed his father coughing a great deal and not eating as much as he normally did. When the meal was over, Spike's mother got up to clear the table, but he told her go enjoy her grand kids and that he and Joe would clean up.

Spike carried dishes into the kitchen and went back for a second time before Joe even stood up. "Bring in the pasta and salad bowl," Spike directed Joe in his assertive SRU voice that left no room for questions.

Joe did as he was told, but with attitude. When the two men were alone in the kitchen, Joe turned to leave making some snide remark about this being women's work. Spike turned on his heel, grabbed Joe by the wrist, twisted his arm behind his back and slammed him up against the wall.

In a low guttural voice, Spike said, "Joe, I have had it with you and your attitude. Let me make one thing clear to you, if you ever lay another finger on Anisa, whether it be by accident or not, if you ever get close enough to disturb a single hair on her head I will come after you and with a ferocity that you can only imagine. And when I am finished, you won't be able to blink without excruciating pain."

"Mike, very funny, but I didn't..." Joe began defensively. Spike would hear none of it. He twisted Joe's arm at a more painful angle keeping it within an inch of breaking it. With his other arm, he had Joe's face smashed against the wall immobilizing him. Spike placed his thumb on a pressure point on Joe's neck and applied some pressure causing him groan in pain.

"Another thing, are you going to tell my sister what jack ass you are or should I?"

"I don't know what you are talking about," said Joe feigning innocence.

Spike applied more pressure to his neck making the larger man grunt again, "I will give you one week to be out of that house before I start telling her about you and all those women. I will not leave out the advances you made on Anisa, either. Have I made myself clear. You need to be out of my family's lives for good!"

"Mike, you have no proof," grunted Joe

"You would be surprised what I have as proof. Don't underestimate the geek," Spike growled back as he pushed Joe's face against the wall more forcefully.

"Be reasonable..." sputtered Joe in a final attempt to appease Spike.

Spike pressing his thumb into Joe's neck hard enough now that his knees buckled beneath him eliciting another gasp of pain. "Did I make myself clear?" snarled Spike.

"Yes," mutter Joe through gritted teeth.

"Good," said Spike releasing the bigger man who crumbled to the floor gasping. Spike walked out of the kitchen leaving Joe in a pile.

As he entered the living room, he saw his parents playing with his nephews and their action figures. The scene warmed his heart, but it also caused a twinge of emotional pain as he thought of his lost child. Ria noticed the slight change in his facial expression and wondered what its cause was, but said nothing.

Spike walked over to CiCi who was sitting alone, but was smiling watching her brothers play with their grandparents. "Hey kiddo, how are the guitar lessons going?"

"Good, Uncle Mike. I'm really liking them," she answered with a smile.

Ria came over, tossing her arm over her daughter's shoulder, "She's pretty good, too," she said beaming. "And, I'm liking the girl-time we get to spend together."

"Next Sunday, you should bring your guitar and show us what you got, girl," said Spike with a smile. "I know Anisa would love to hear you play...but we won't let her sing along, I promise." They all chuckled. Mrs. Scarlatti called CiCi over to join them with the boys, leaving Ria and Spike sitting alone on the other side of the room.

Ria, placed her hand on his knee, and looking into his eyes, she asked, "You OK?"

"Yeah, I'm good," said Spike trying to convince both himself and his sister. "Just worried about Dad."

Ria nodded, knowing that was only part of the story. "How is Anisa, really?"

"She is going to be fine. She is a little sore and just wanted to rest today," reported Spike. Ria had a feeling there was more to the story, but again, said nothing. Spike noticed that his sister's expression had changed from one of concern to something else...anger maybe. "What?" he asked her.

"I was just wondering if she told you what happened? Joe told me she just fell down the stairs, but that seems unlikely."

"Anisa said that he bumped her and then she lost her balance, so I guess he was kinda right," said Spike. He could see more anger welling up in his sister. It was his turn to put his hand on hers offering whatever support she needed.

"Mike, I don't know how much longer I can do this. The lying, the cheating...I have been trying to keep it together for the kids, but they are getting older now...I am pretty sure that CiCi knows what kind of man her father is. It's only a matter of time until the boys figure it out. I don't want him to be their role model," she lamented.

"Ria, I'm not sure what to say, but I think the answer will become obvious soon," said Spike reassuringly. Their brother-sister moment was interrupted by their father's coughing fit. Spike's dad looked at him and nodded that he should come to help. Spike hopped up and went to his father's side.

"I think it is time for me to go to bed," said Mr. Scarlatti. He gave his family hugs good night and asked Spike to help him to his room. Spike helped him settle into his bed and was about to leave when his father called after him, "Michelangelo, come sit for a moment." The older man patted a spot next to him on the bed. Spike sat down and looked into his father's eyes that were so much like his own but had grown a little glassy with age and sickness.

Mr. Scarlatti took a labored breath before choosing his words carefully, "My son, my time is drawing near..."

"Pa, don't..." Spike interjected, trying to steer the conversation away from the inevitable, but the elder Scarlatti raised his hand feebly to stop him.

"Michelangelo, I know it is close and I am ready. I have lived to see my children grow into superb human beings and I have three wonderful grandchildren. I am satisfied with the job I have done as a father. I no longer question your choice of career, but will always worry about your safety, because I love you."

Spike was surprised at how emotional he was feeling as his father said these words to him. He was swallowing a tear as he said, "Pa..."

"You have finally found a woman who is worthy of your love, and for this, Mama and I are grateful. I want you to promise me two things..." Spike was not sure that he could speak so he just nodded his head. "Promise me that you and Anisa will always take care of Mama and Ria. I worry about your sister and that husband...he is not good for this family."

Spike again nodded his head, "I promise, Pa."

Mr. Scarlatti coughed for a minute before resuming his speech, "Second, promise me that you will marry Anisa. She is good for you and she is good for this family."

That final request brought back the memory of Anisa turning down his proposal. He wasn't convinced that she would say yes, if he ever asked again. "Pa, I can promise you I will ask, but I cannot promise she will say yes," he said honestly.

"Have faith, my son. She loves you and she will say yes, but don't wait too long. I know your mother would like to see you two married and I would, too. Know that I will be watching over you even if I am not here." Spike's face was marked with tears as he nodded assent to his father's wishes.

He lifted his father's hand to his lips and said, "Ti amo, Papa." His father smiled at his only son and nodded toward the door indicating that he should go now. Spike kissed his father's cheek and the closed the door behind him as he left the room.

Spike was saying his goodbyes to the rest of his family when he received a text message from Anisa. He read the message as he walked to his car.

"_**Hey, when do you think you'll be home?"**_

"_**Leaving now. You OK?"**_

"_**Yep. Just missing you. See you soon :)"**_

"_**OK"**_

When Spike walked into the apartment he heard jazz music softly playing and found Anisa sitting in a chair with her knees pulled up to her chest. Her eyes were slightly red and puffy, but she smiled when she saw Spike walk in. Releasing her legs, she stood as he put down the bag of food his mother had packed for her and wrapped his arms around her holding her close. He kissed her on the cheek near her ear.

"How are you feeling?" he asked softly.

"I'm OK," she sighed.

"Did you rest?"

"Yeah, I slept for a little while, but then..."

"What? What happened?" he asked, his words laced with concern.

"Nothing...just a dream ...I couldn't go back to sleep, so I came out here."

"Wanna talk about it?" he asked as his body began to sway with the music.

She swallowed hard before telling him about her dream as she swayed with him. "I dreamed that I wouldn't be able to have another baby...that was my one and only chance to have a baby," she mutter as she stifled the tears threatening her eyes.

Spike pulled back slightly then lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes. "Hey, that's not gonna happen. Lots of women have children after a miscarriage. In fact, I think my mother had one before Ria was born."

"I know that, on an intellectual level. But... I don't know, I guess my heart isn't so sure. What if we never get to be parents? You should be a dad..." she began, biting back the sob that stuck in her throat.

"Hey, hey...let's not worry about that now, OK? One step at a time...

"But, Mike, let's just say that I can't have more children... then what?"

"We could adopt or we could just be the best aunt and uncle on the planet. Either way it doesn't matter and we shouldn't worry about those things right now." He hesitated a minute before continuing, "Are you going to go to your doctor tomorrow?" She nodded. "We will ask her then...we won't speculate until we have the facts. OK?" Again she nodded. "What time is your appointment?"

"I have to call tomorrow morning to schedule one," she answered sounding more calm and less worried.

"Let me know what time it is and I will meet you there."

"Mike, you don't have to. I can go myself," she said not wanting him to miss anymore work.

"I know, but I want to be there. I want to be part of this," he said truthfully. Also, he didn't want her to be there alone. She had been through enough trauma on her own, he wouldn't let her go through this alone, if he could help it. She began to protest, but could see in his eyes that his mind was made up and it would be no use. She just nodded her head again.

She let her hand slip into his as he continued to sway to the music. She rested her head against his chest as they slow danced in silence to the music played in the background. In that moment they felt completely connected to one another and for the first time all day, Anisa felt at peace.

After several minutes dancing together, Anisa looked up into his eyes and murmured, "I love you more than anything, you know that?"

Spike offered her a dimple revealing smile as he bent down kissed her sweetly at first, but the kiss soon deepened until Anisa finally pulled back slightly, in order to catch her breath.

"Have you eaten? Ma packed some lasagna for you," said Spike with a grin as he released her.

"Mmm... that sounds nice, but if I keep eating her amazing dinners, I'm going to weigh a thousand pounds," she said with a chuckle.

Spike picked up the package of food and began to walk to the kitchen. "The more of you to love," he joked over his shoulder.

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks for reading. I hope I was able to express what I imagine Spike might feel after losing a child. I know some of you wanted Spike to really hurt, Joe, but in my mind, Spike is not the kind of guy to be violent if there is any way to avoid it. I hope you thought that scene with him in the kitchen was believable, though. Would love your feedback.


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N:** Thanks to all those who have read and reviewed. I love some of your ideas and suggestions...you may see some of them pop up in future chapters.

I don't live in Canada and don't know much about the medical system there, so the doctor's office described in this chapter is based on one you might find here in the U.S. I am also not a doctor, so I ask your indulgence with the doctor visit.

"_Phrases in quotes and italics_" are thoughts.

"_**Phrases in quotes, italics and bold"**_ are text messages.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Flashpoint related except some DVDs.

* * *

**Knowing where you need to be**

**Chapter 24**

When Anisa woke up the next morning, it was still dark outside. She felt a weight on her chest and realized that it was Spike's arm. Although it made it a little hard to breathe, she smiled because she liked the feeling of security it offered. As the sun began to come up, he rolled over onto his side, releasing her, which allowed her the opportunity to scramble out of bed. She felt surprisingly good as she entered the bathroom and gazed at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were still puffy, but the redness had gone. Her stomach felt the best it had in weeks, which she observe with a twinge of sadness. She was pouring coffee into two mugs when Spike entered the kitchen. He slid his arms around her waist from behind and kissed the back of her neck.

"Good morning, beautiful," he said nuzzling her neck. "You're up early."

"I thought it was about time I made you coffee for a change," she said handing him a cup. "Besides I'm feeling pretty good and it is about time I got back to normal." She kissed his cheek sweetly. "I'm gonna jump in the shower. I have a bunch of work to do."

"Are you sure you are up for going to work today?" Spike asked with concern.

She nodded her head, "I'm feeling fine and I think normalcy is better than sitting around weeping all day. If I can't handle it, I will come home...I promise."

Spike nodded as she left the kitchen. Then he said, "Don't forget to text me when you make your doctor's appointment."

* * *

Spike was in the locker room changing from his workout clothes into his uniform when his phone buzzed with a text message from Anisa.

"_**Appointment at 12:15."**_

"_**OK. I'll pick you up at 11:45."**_

"_**Are you sure? I'm OK, you don't have to."**_

"_**Yep, I'm sure. See you then."**_

The team gathered in the briefing room and planned to go out on patrol. As they made their way to the trucks, Spike got in the truck with Greg.

"Hey, Boss, I can I take about an hour off at lunchtime today?"

Greg looked over at Spike quizzically. "Everything OK, Spike?"

"Yeah... just have something personal to take care of. Shouldn't be more that an hour. And if we get a call, that takes priority," said Spike glancing at Greg who was still looking at Spike with knit eyebrows. "I mean if it is a problem, I can skip it..."

"No, Spike it's not a problem. Is everything OK? How is your dad?"

"Yes everything is alright...it's just something personal. Dad is doing OK, declining as expected, but this isn't about him," Spike saw Greg nod and then said, "Thanks."

* * *

Anisa walked up to her desk after texting Spike about her appointment feeling as content as possible given the circumstances.

"Hey, Red," greeted Ryan studying her expression.

"Hi, Ry. How was your weekend?"

"Busy...driving kids here, there and yon," he answered still eying her with curiosity. "You?"

"Pretty slow actually. Babysat Ria's boys Saturday night and that was about it," she said trying to sound neutral.

"How are you feeling? Still got that stomach bug?" he asked, not convinced that she was as 'fine' as she was trying to appear.

Anisa sat down at her desk and booted up her computer. "Umm... a little better, I guess. Actually going to see a doctor later today."

"Really?" said Ryan with a grin.

"Wanna make sure it's not something serious, you know, like an ulcer or something," she said in an attempt to redirect his thoughts.

"Yeah...that makes sense," was all he said. He had known her long enough to know that she would tell him when she was ready.

* * *

Spike entered the lobby of the RCMP headquarters in his uniform and waited for Anisa come down to meet him. Some of the women who worked on Anisa's floor noticed him, as they exited the elevator in front of Anisa. They gawked visibly as they passed him slowly, but he didn't notice because his eyes were trained on the elevator eagerly awaiting Anisa. She smiled slightly when she saw him. He placed his arm snugly around her as they fell in step with one another, walking past the staring women.

"How are you doing?" he asked softly.

Nestling closer to him she said, "Pretty good, I think. How has your day been?" As they walked out the doors Anisa glanced at the women who were now whispering to one another.

"Kinda slow," he answered as they walked to the truck which was parked in front of the building. "Which is good since I am having a hard time focusing today."

"I know what you mean," she said quietly as she reached for the car door handle. Spike lifted her chin so he was looking into her eyes.

"I love you with all my heart," he confessed before gently kissing her. He felt her body relax into him slightly, as he kissed her. When they separated, she looked into his eyes and saw a glimmer of sadness that hadn't been there before.

"Let's get this over with," she sighed.

The drive to the doctor's office was quiet with each of them lost in their own thoughts. Anisa was wondering about what she could have done that might have saved the baby. She chewed lightly on her lower lip as these thoughts went through her mind. Spike was thinking about how he should have been more attuned to her and figured out that she was pregnant. He should have taken care of her. They were slowly pulled from these self-destructive and guilt-ridden thoughts by Spike putting the truck in park. They turned to look at each other and Anisa reached up and touched the his cheek softly. She hadn't expected to be this emotional. He gently took her hand in his and brought it to his lips, kissing it sweetly.

"You ready to go?" asked Spike softly.

She just nodded and opened the door to the truck. They walked into the doctor's office together with Spike holding tightly to Anisa's hand. The waiting room was filled with women of all ages who all turned and stared at the man walking into the room in full SRU regalia minus the vest and firearms. Spike felt a little self-conscious at first until he noticed a man sitting in the corner with his wife who was obviously due any day now. The two men acknowledged each other with a quick nod.

Anisa released Spike's hand as she went to the reception window to sign in. Spike found two seats together and sat down. As Anisa sat next to him, he automatically took her hand in his. He wasn't sure if he did it to offer her support or if because he need the support himself. Anisa found her self sitting tall, relatively speaking, she wanted to appear as if nothing were wrong. You would have to know her well to notice the slightest twinge of sadness in her features. Spike looked around noticing that many of the women were still staring at him. He ran his hand over his head to see if his hair was a mess, quickly realizing that it was still in the process of growing back.

Anisa saw him and whispered, "They aren't used to seeing many men in here and never SRU guys. You look a little intimidating to the average person." She chuckled slightly as she gave his hand a squeeze. He blushed slightly and looked down at his hand as it held hers securely. About ten minutes later, her phone buzzed and she saw from the caller ID that it was Cameron Stewart. She stood releasing his hand and indicated that she was going to step outside the waiting room to take the call. He nodded his head and began reading his emails on his phone. He figured it was better to do that than to sit there alone with his thoughts surrounded by several pregnant women.

A few minutes later a door opened and a nurse stepped out and called, "Anisa McConnell."

Spike stood acknowledging the nurse and went to fetch Anisa who was just finishing her call as he beckoned her back into the room.

"OK. Got it 1:15 at the DA's office. I'll be there...No I don't need a ride. I'll meet you there. Bye," she hung up as she followed the nurse into the back where the exam rooms were. The nurse stopped by a scale and turned back to Anisa noticing Spike had followed them. Her eyes, grew large at the sight of the man in uniform.

"And you are?" she asked almost protectively.

Trying to set her mind at ease, he said in a quiet voice while extending his hand for a handshake, "Spike Scarlatti, ma'am."

She took his hand and said, "Spike?"

"Uh … it's a long story, so yeah, Spike."

After taking note of Anisa's weight and her blood pressure she led them back to an exam room. The nurse handed Anisa a gown and was about to give her instructions when an average sized women in her mid-forties entered the room. She walked over to Anisa and placed her hand on Anisa's saying, "Anisa, I'm glad you are here. How are you feeling today?"

"Not too bad, I guess, Dr. Kramer," responded Anisa with a weak smile. Nodding her head in understanding, Dr. Kramer turned her attention the man in the room.

Again extending his hand, Spike said again, "Spike Scarlatti, ma'am."

The doctor smiled at Spike and said, "OK, Officer Scarlatti, why don't you follow me to my office so Anisa can be examined. When we are finished, I will meet with you both there. Alright?"

Spike glanced at Anisa, not really sure what he was supposed to do nor what she wanted him to do. She smiled at him and nodded that it was OK for him to follow the doctor. He kissed her cheek briefly before he left.

"So, Officer, how long have you two been together?" asked the doctor pleasantly.

"Umm..." Spike stammered. "Several months...almost a year, I suppose." He really hadn't calculated it.

Dr. Kramer nodded as she turned into an office with a large ornate mahogany desk and a couple of comfortable wing back chairs facing the desk. "Why don't you have a seat. We should only be about 15-20 minutes. Do you have any questions for me before we get started?"

Spike locked eyes with her and asked, "Will she be OK?" He was unable to control the pleading in his voice.

The doctor offered a reassuring smile and said, "Yes, I think so. I will be able to answer that better after I examine her." Spike sighed slightly in relief and offered her a nod of thanks as she exited her office.

Spike took a seat in one of the chairs glancing around the office at pictures of the doctor's family, a husband and two daughters. They looked like their mother. Spike wondered what their child would have looked like... dark hair and freckles?... light hair and brown eyes? He blinked and looked away from the picture and his eyes settled on the large book cases filled with books and medical journals. He noted a book titled "Fighting Infertility" and began to wonder if Anisa would be able to conceive again.

"Stop it! We aren't going to speculate about that," he chided himself in a low grumble. He picked up a medical journal that was sitting on an end table and opened it up to a piece on the pros and cons, from a medical standpoint, on midwifery. This was the first time that he had ever read anything on that particular subject and he found it surprisingly interesting. When he finished, he made a mental note to do more research on the topic. Replacing the journal on the table, he turned back to the book shelf scanning the titles once more. He found a book titled "Yes, I Like That: Discussing Sexuality with Your Partner". He couldn't help himself so he gently pulled the book from its spot on the shelf. He skimmed the chapters and began speed reading one how to detect your partner's erogenous zone.

He was so engrossed in his reading that he didn't hear the doctor walk into her office until she said nonchalantly, "You can borrow that if you like."

Spike snapped his head up, slammed the book closed and stammered, "Oh..uh.. no thanks." He stood to return the book to its spot on the shelf, as his face got warm. He was pretty sure he was as red as a lobster. "Sorry about that, I was just..."

"No need to apologize. I wouldn't have put them there if I didn't want people to look at them. They are resources for me and my patients," she said taking a seat behind her desk.

"Uh, OK," blathered Spike as he tried to hide his embarrassment and regain his bearings. "So how is she?" he asked softly, with genuine concern in his voice.

The doctor offered him a smile and said, "She should be fine. She is getting dressed and will be joining us shortly. Before she arrives, do you have any questions you would like to ask?"

Spike rubbed his hands on the top of his thighs nervously. "Um...Well I guess you have figured that this is new to me... to both of us actually, but I guess I wonder if maybe I did something that may have brought this on?" He was thinking back to the previous Wednesday when they had made love over and over again.

She offered him a sweet smile from across her desk, "Officer..."

"Call me Spike."

"OK, Spike. It is highly unlikely that anything you did caused the miscarriage...I assume you are referring to intercourse." She knew that discussing these things more clinically was frequently easier. He nodded sheepishly and she smiled at him in understanding. "I can assure you that intercourse had nothing to do with what happened."

Spike exhaled in relief, again feeling like a boy who was caught with his hand in the cookie jar but was granted a pardon by his mother. He couldn't understand why he was so uncomfortable talking about this stuff with Dr. Kramer...she was a doctor for goodness sake!

"Look Spike, I know this is your first time visiting a OB/GYN, but I promise you I am here to help. Anisa has been coming to me for about 4 years now and I wish nothing but the best for her. No question is too 'stupid' to ask. All I ask is that we work together. Fair enough?"

Spike nodded and offered her a smile that revealed his dimples, "Fair enough. Honestly... I am not sure why I am so nervous."

She chuckled at him and said, "Perhaps it is because you are outside of your comfort zone. I am sure that I would be nervous if I were at police headquarters." Spike nodded in agreement as she added, "Just relax."

As the doctor finished, Anisa poked her head in the office. Spike stood as she entered and again kissed her softly on the cheek whispering "Ti amo," in her ear. This brought a smile to her face as she sat down.

"OK, let's get down to business because I know Spike has to get back to work. Anisa, you did indeed have a miscarriage and, from what I can tell you were about 8 weeks along. I cannot be exact, but that is my best estimate." The doctor paused for a moment to allow that information to sink in before continuing, "We cannot know for sure what the cause of the miscarriage was, but I can tell you that usually they are caused by a malformation in the fetus. Again, I cannot be sure without doing an autopsy on the fetus. Although I know it is not reassuring, but these occurrences are not uncommon, especially for first pregnancies. So that is all of the bad news. The good news is that I see no reason why you would not be able to conceive again. I also see no structural reason why you could not carry to full term. Certainly, we will have to wait until you are pregnant again and run some tests to determine any possible risk factors." Again the doctor paused as the couple took in the information they had received. Spike looked at Anisa and slipped her hand into his. "The cramping should subside soon if it hasn't already. You can return to work when you are feeling better, probably in the next day or so."

"Uh...I returned to work today and I am feeling OK," said Anisa.

The doctor chuckled, "Oh right. I forgot how 'tough' you are." She looked at Spike as she said, "If she starts to feel faint or weak or if you notice anything unusual with her, you call me. We both know she has a tendency to be a bit headstrong." She handed him a card.

"Copy that," said Spike taking the card with a grin.

"I recommend you wait a couple of months before trying to get pregnant again. You can resume intimacy when it is comfortable," continued the doctor noting that Spike and Anisa were both nodding their heads. Then glaring at Anisa, she added, "Comfortable means NO PAIN, understood?"

Anisa gave her a crooked smile and said, "Understood."

"Do either of you have any questions for me?"

Anisa spoke up, "This weeping...when will it end?"

"Give it time honey, you have 8 weeks of hormones built up in there. It will take a few days for them dissipate."

Up until this point, Spike had been quiet, but he did have one burning question. "What are some of the other possible causes of a … miscarriage?" He found it hard to even say the word...it made it too real.

Dr. Kramer sat back in her chair. She hated this part of her job...watching parents try to place blame on someone or something for the loss of their baby. It was rare that the cause of such things could be pinpointed to on single event. More frequently it was a malformed fetus and in some cases, other circumstances. "As I mentioned before. It is usually linked to the formation of the fetus, however there are occasionally other factors that contribute to the miscarriage. For example, malnourishment, genetic disorders, extreme trauma and of course, stress can be a contributing factor."

Both Spike and Anisa squeezed each others hand involuntarily when she mentioned trauma thinking about her fall. Stress...Spike wondered if his injury and the subsequent recovery might have put too much stress on Anisa and the baby. And both of their jobs entailed a great deal of stress. As he pondered the doctor's words and all of their implications he felt Anisa stand and give his hand a little tug. He lifted his eyes and saw Dr. Kramer hand Anisa a manilla envelop.

"This packet contains information about miscarriage. It also provides some resources, such as support groups that may be helpful," remarked the doctor. She watched the couple slowly nod their heads in silence. "I am confident that you will get through this just fine, but feel free to call me with any questions or concerns."

Spike and Anisa both thanked the doctor and quietly left her office. They walking silently through the waiting room, oblivious to the women staring at the uniform. In the elevator, Spike put his arm around Anisa, drawing her close to his side. She rested her head on his shoulder clutching the packet to her side. When they arrived at the truck, Spike turned her to face him and wrapped her in his arms. She buried her face in his chest savoring the comfort of the embrace. She inhaled deeply … she loved the way he smelled and for that moment they were only two people in the world.

"We are gonna be OK," she stated looking up into his eyes. This time as she said those words she began to believe them.

Spike smiled at her and gently tucked a strand of her wild strawberry blonde hair behind her ear. "Yeah, we are," he agreed kissing her sweetly. "Promise me something..."

"OK."

"Honesty. I gotta know how you are doing, how you are feeling, what you are feeling...And I'm a guy, so I am really bad at guessing."

She smiled a real smile for the first time in days. "You know I don't lie..."

"I know, but sometimes you don't say anything, you keep things inside and I … I want be part of that OK?"

"OK, I promise. But Mike you already have so much on your plate. I just hate to add to it ..."

"Listen, 'Nis, you have to understand something. You are my top priority...no matter what," Spike said taking her face in his hands and kissing her before she had a chance to say anything.

"I promise, but you have to make the same promise," said Anisa.

"Deal," he answered kissing her again. "The DA's office?"

"Yeah," she answered getting in the truck.

They rode in a relaxed silence that was vastly different from the one filled with trepidation on the way to the doctor's office. As they pulled up to the district attorney's office, Spike looked over to Anisa.

"You OK?" he asked noting a peculiar look on her face.

"Yeah, just thinking. Do you think we should tell anyone about this?" she asked.

Spike widened his eyes, "I don't know. I kinda think it is something just between us, but ..."

"Yeah, me too. But I think Ryan might suspect something. He was acting kind of weird this morning," she said looking down at the packet in her hands. "You know how I am, I couldn't lie to him if I wanted to."

"I know," said Spike reaching over and taking her hand in his. "I think that you should do what feels right. If you want to tell him, then I am OK with that. I think we will have to tell some people, eventually. I don't see any reason to rush into telling people, though."

Anisa nodded. "Maybe it will become clear when we should talk about it, huh?"

Spike also nodded pulling her close to him. "I think you are right, we will know when we should tell people."

Anisa opened the door to the truck and turned back to Spike. Looking into his eyes with gratefulness and love she said, "Mike, I am really glad you came with me."

Spike leaned over and kissed her again and whispered into her lips, "Me, too."

Their quiet moment was interrupted by the loud tone that came through the speaker in the truck followed by Winnie's voice, "Team One Hot Call!" Anisa hopped out of the truck and said "Keep safe and let me know you are OK." Spike nodded with a smile as he put on his headset.

* * *

**A/N**: I hope you liked this little chapter. Stay tuned for a little action in the next chapter. I love to hear your reviews and ideas on what you would like to see happen. You never know I may use some of your ideas in future chapters.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N:** First, I would like to apologize for the delay in posting this chapter, but between writer's block and real life... Second, I would like to thank Antonella, once again for her help with Italian. Third, I would like to thank all those who have stuck with me through this story and especially those who have reviewed and left suggestions.

**Disclaimer:** I wish I owned Flashpoint...but I don't :(

* * *

**Knowing Where You Need To Be**

**Chapter 25**

Their quiet moment was interrupted by the loud tone that came through the speaker in the truck followed by Winnie's voice, "Team One Hot Call!" Anisa hopped out of the truck and said "Keep safe and let me know you are OK." Spike nodded with a smile as he put on his headset.

"Armed man at the courthouse with possible hostages," came Winnie's voice into Spike ear.

"I am three blocks away, I will meet you there, Boss," reported Spike.

"Spike, do you have your gear?" asked Greg.

"In the truck. I will do a situation analysis so we can hit the ground running when you arrive," said Spike turning on his flashers as he turned into traffic.

"Copy that," Ed and Greg said in unison.

When Spike arrived on the scene, he jumped out of the truck and geared up. Before he finished, he was approached by someone who appeared to be the man in charge.

"Are you kidding me? They send one man for this job? There is a crazy man in there with a gun!" barked the man. Spike listened to the man rant as he pulled the laptop from the truck and began tapping on the keys to pull up the floor plan for the courthouse.

"Good afternoon, I am Officer Scarlatti, the rest of my team is on the way. And you are?" said Spike offering his hand hoping that his calm tone would bring the tension down.

"I am Dennis Atwood, the head of security here at the courthouse."

"Alright Mr. Atwood, what can you tell me about what happened here today?" asked Spike calmly.

"A crazy man walks into a courtroom after lunch recess, locks the door and starts waving a gun," answered Atwood, his tone beginning to escalate again.

"OK, do you know how he got past security with a gun?" questioned Spike.

Atwood began pacing in frustration. "Are you going to get in there and do something or are you going to interrogate me all day?"

"Sir, I understand your frustration, but if we want a successful outcome to this, then we need to have as much information about the gunman as possible, so your cooperation here will expedite our resolution to the situation," said Spike looking him in the eye, still trying to calm him down.

Atwood let out a sigh and then said, "He did not come here with a gun. He overpowered one of our guards and took his gun when the courtroom was returning from recess."

"OK, that's good. That tells us that he did not come here with the intent to harm. It also tells us that he probably only has one magazine with him which will limit the number of bullets he has. Have you been able to identify him?"

"No," answered Atwood.

"OK, I am going to need a list of all of the proceedings currently in session in the courthouse, a list of all visitors in the building, as well as employees here today. Specifically, any information on the trial in that particular courtroom would be most important," said Spike as the rest of his team arrived on the scene. Atwood nodded and began jogging back to the building to fetch the requested information.

Spike briefed the team on what he knew and Ed began putting together a tac plan. He then introduced Greg to Dennis Atwood when he had returned with the information that Spike had requested. Spike took the data and headed to the command truck followed by Greg and Atwood.

"It looks like there was a custody hearing going on in courtroom 7 at the time," announced Spike.

Greg read the information while Spike tapped feverishly on the keyboard, "Plaintiffs are Elizabeth and Allen Dunlap. It appears that they had petitioned for adoption of a minor."

"Boss, we have eyes into the courtroom now," announced Spike as his monitor showed a courtroom full of people.

"You can do that?" asked Atwood, staring in disbelief at how quickly Spike was able to access the video feed from the room.

"Yeah, I can do that," answered Spike not taking his eyes off the computer screen. He pulled up driver's license pictures of the Dunlaps and identified them in the room. "Boss, I am trying some facial recognition on the gunman."

"Good, Spike," said Greg and then turned to Atwood who simply stood staring at Spike. "Mr. Atwood, Can you get your people to clear out the other courtrooms on that floor?" Atwood nodded his head, but did not move. With a little more force, Greg added, "Now." Atwood scurried away to get his people to clear out other courtrooms.

Spike announced, "Boss, the gunman appears to be Robert Hickman. I am looking for some kind of connection between him and the Dunlaps."

"Copy," responded Greg who stepped outside of the truck to talk to some of the witnesses in hopes of gaining some information that might help Greg talk him through this. After a few minutes, he asked Spike, "Spike, what do we know about Hickman?"

"Not much, Boss. No criminal record, no recent work history, no listed family. I am going to look at the Dunlaps to see if I can make a connection."

"OK, I am going up to the courtroom. Feed me what you learn," said Greg knowing that time was of the essence.

"Copy that, boss," said Spike still banging away at the keyboard

Ed had the rest of Team One in position and Greg was stationed with Ed at the door of the courtroom in question. They were ready to begin to negotiation.

"Hang on Boss, I think I may have something here. It looks like the hearing was for Mr. Dunlap to petition for adoption of a child. Records indicate that Elizabeth Dunlap is the biological mother of the child in question who is approximately 8 years old. I cannot tell if he is in the building or not."

"Thanks, Spike."

"Boss, Hickman is ex-military. He was in Iraq for two tours. Left for his first tour, 9 years ago and was discharged about a year and a half ago. No work records following discharge. Nothing definitive tying him to the Dunlaps, but maybe he is the biological father. There was no father listed on the birth certificate."

"Possible," said Greg. "Any idea why he was discharged?"

After a brief pause, Spike said, "It seems that he had an honorable discharge, but I see some medical records after his discharge at some psychiatric institutions. It appears that his diagnosis might have been PTSD or borderline personality disorder."

"Might?" questioned Greg.

"Boss, those documents are private and it would be against the law to for me to access them," said Spike in a tone that indicated, 'don't ask how I know.' "So that would just be a _guess_, Boss."

"Copy that, Spike," Greg answered giving his head a brief little shake at how his techie gets his information. He was getting ready to begin negotiation.

Speaking through the door, Greg said, "Hello, Mr. Hickman, I am Sergeant Greg Parker with the Strategic Response Unit. Can I ask how things are going in there?"

"Fine," was his only response.

"Can you tell me what is going on in there?"

"Sergeant, this is none of your concern."

"Maybe, but do you think you could tell me what this is all about, so I can help you out?" asked Greg calmly.

"Beth is trying to give my child away...that is what this is about!"

"Boss, he is escalating," reported Spike as he watched the video feed seeing the subject raise the gun.

"Mr. Hickman, is your child in there with you?" asked Greg in an effort redirect his attention and keep him calm.

"No she won't let me see him."

Greg continued to talk to him about his son, and learned that his name was Richie and was home with a babysitter at the moment. Spike asked Winnie to send a uni over to the house to check on the boy and stand watch. As the conversation continued Spike watched as Hickman stepped away from the Dunlaps and had the gun down.

"I know I haven't been around much, but he is my son, man," muttered Hickman through strangled tears.

"Ed, he is away from the Dunlaps and has stepped to the center of the courtroom. His gun is down, I repeat the gun is down," reported Spike.

"Sierra 1?" questioned Ed.

"No joy," reported Sam.

"OK, team. Hard entry on three!" barked Ed into the headsets. "One... two... three!"

Team one breached the courtroom under the cover of a flash-bang: Ed and Greg through the main door, Raf and Jules through the judge's chambers. Spike chewed nervously on his knuckles as he watched as his team entered the room and successfully took down the suspect. He exhaled finally, as Raf walked out of the courtroom with the subject in handcuffs.

As the team wrapped things up, Greg climbed into the SUV with Spike.

"Good job, there Spike, with Atwood. You kept him calm and collected the relevant data," said Greg.

"Thanks, Boss," said Spike with a little surprise. "But isn't that our job?"

Greg smiled broadly nodding his head. "So, do I want to know how you learned about Hickman's diagnosis?"

Spike shook his head side-to-side indicating that he shouldn't ask the question.

Greg then said, "OK. So, how did things go during your lunch break? Everything OK?"

"Yeah, Boss. It's good," said Spike with a slight smile. "Thanks for the time."

"Anything you need, Spike, you know that," said Greg earnestly. He knew that the younger man would tell him when he was ready.

* * *

Anisa spent the next 3 ½ hours with her partners briefing the DA on all of the details of the serial case. By the time they were finished, Anisa was beginning to feel a bit tired.

As the three detectives exited the DA's office building, Cameron asked, "Hey McConnell, need a ride back to HQ?"

Before she had a chance to respond, Ryan piped up, "That's alright, Stewart, I'll give her a ride back."

"OK, see you guys back there," said Stewart getting into her BMW.

Anisa, knew that the time was coming when she would have to tell him what was going on. She quietly got into Ryan's car, and buckled her seat belt. Before she had a chance to do or say anything, Ryan reached across and gently lifted her chin with his index finger so that her eyes were level with his. For nearly 30 seconds, he said nothing, just looked into her eyes. The he released her chin, closed his eyes and sighed heavily.

"Oh, 'Nis... you lost the baby, didn't you?" He turned to look at her and seeing her eyes begin to well up with tears, he pulled her in close to him resting her head on his shoulders. Whispering into her hair, he said, "Babe, I am sorry... I'm so sorry.."

She wrapped her arm around his neck and held him as close as she could considering they were both buckled into their individual seats. After a few minutes, she pulled back a little. He brushed a hair out her eyes and softly stroked the side of her face.

"How did you know?" she uttered in a voice barely above a whisper.

He offered her a smiled filled with empathy. "I did the math in my head, prolonged nausea, strange eating habits... besides, I recognized the look."

"What look?" she asked, bewildered.

"Glow is so cliché, but something about you seemed brighter... your skin, your eyes...you kind of had a twinkle," he said sounding almost embarrassed.

Anisa nearly laughed. In all the years she had known Lambert, she couldn't recall him ever using the word twinkle except when singing a song with his children. "A twinkle?" she questioned.

"Look, I can't really explain it. But trust me, I've seen it three times in Mel and I gotta say, there is nothing more beautiful than the special look a woman gets when she is pregnant," said Ryan, placing his hand on hers. "I figured you would tell me when you were ready."

She sighed and said, "Ry, I only found out on Thursday. But I lost it...I mean the baby, I lost the baby on Saturday."

After a brief pause, he asked, "You OK?"

"I'm getting there. The worst part was that I hadn't even had a chance to tell Spike, before I miscarried. So I had to tell him he was going to be a father, but ….not anymore...all in one breath. He never got to know the sheer happiness of knowing he was going to be a dad," Anisa mumbled choking back tears.

"That is not your fault. There is nothing you could have done about that." He paused a moment before continuing, "I know this is hard, but you will get through this. You have Spike, and me and Mel. We are all here if you need us...and even if you don't."

"I know," she said smiling and sitting back into her seat. She turned her head to face him and asked, "So how long have you known, since I only found out a few days ago."

Ryan chuckled at the question,"Probably 2-3 weeks," he watched as her eyes grew large in surprise. "If I had told you that I thought you were pregnant, would you have believed me?" he asked. She shook her head 'No'. "See. I figured, you are slightly above average intelligence, you would figure it out soon enough," he teased her in an attempt to lighten the mood a bit. She playfully, punched him in the arm.

They got quiet for a moment before she turned to her partner and friend, "You know, once I got over the shock of it, I was kind of excited about the baby."

"Of course you were. You and Spike will make great parents. Just give yourself a little time to recover, OK?" She nodded silently. "Ready to go?" She nodded again and Ryan put the vehicle in drive.

"So are guys planning on getting married?" he asked innocently.

Anisa offered him a crooked smile and said, "He asked me to marry him yesterday."

"Wow! That's great! Congrats!" said Ryan genuinely happy for her.

"I told him no," she said softly.

"Seriously?" he asked glancing at his partner. Shaking his head at her, "Why? I don't get it..." He didn't give her a chance to answer that question before he said, "I don't know that I have ever seen two people more in love."

Anisa looked at her hands and quietly explained, "Yeah, I know. It's just that I was a hormonal mess and... well, I didn't want him to feel like he had to marry me because I was pregnant... I didn't want to start our life together like that." She looked at her partner who was shaking his head at her in disbelief. "I told him to ask me in a couple of months, if he still felt the same way."

"Do you know how how scary it is to ask the woman you love to marry you? Poor Spike..." asked Ryan still in shock.

"I hope he asks again..." she said wistfully. She wondered if maybe she had made a mistake.

"Me, too," muttered Ryan.

When they arrived at HQ she turned to her partner, feeling exhausted and said, "I think I am going to head home, OK?"

"No problem. I got your back," he responded reaching over to her and pulling her into an embrace. He gave her a sweet kiss on the forehead.

"You always do. Love you!" she said getting out of the car and heading to her own.

Anisa got into her car and drove home in silence. She was thinking now that maybe she should have said yes to Spike...they were probably going to end up getting married anyway. She was waging an internal battle in her mind over whether she should have declined Spike's proposal when her phone buzzed with a text message. At the next traffic light she checked the message. It was from Spike.

"_**Heading back to the barn for debrief. All good."**_

"_**KK. See you at home. Love you."**_

Anisa walked into her apartment and plopped down on her sofa feeling unsettled...unsure. She opened the packet that the doctor had given her and thumbed through the literature. She began reading the pamphlet on recovering from a miscarriage. She was about to put it down when a paragraph caught her eye. It was about emotional distress and how it is not recommended that large, life-changing decisions be made at this time. She closed her eyes and rested her head on the back of the sofa. She was a little relieved that her gut instincts had been confirmed. She said a silent little prayer that he would ask her again in a couple of months. As she opened her eyes, she felt a tear trickle down her cheek.

She shook her head and stood up, saying out loud, "Enough of this crap! Pull yourself together McConnell and go make dinner!" She tossed the pamphlet on the table and went to see what she had in the fridge.

About an hour later Spike walked in the door, put his bag down and made his way to the kitchen. On his way he noticed the pamphlet open on the table and he felt a twitch in his heart. He walked into the kitchen and saw Anisa stirring something on the stove.

Without lifting her eyes from the stove, she said, "Hey you."

He walked over, slid his arms around her waist and said, "Hey yourself," as he kissed her neck. "What's for dinner?"

"Omelets?" she answered. "Apparently I haven't been to the grocery store in a while."

He spun her around and kissed her deeply. When he finally released her she asked, "What was that for?"

In a deep, husky voice he said, "Because ….I love...breakfast for dinner!" They both started laughing at Spike's big revelation.

"Good, because it is ready," said Anisa still chuckling.

"MMMM... and I brought dessert," said Spike as he put the package he had brought in with him into the freezer.

Her eyes and her smile grew wide, "Is that ice cream? Oh how you know me!" She kissed him sweetly on the cheek as she handed him a plate of eggs.

As they ate their dinner, she told Spike about her conversation with the DA. Spike then told her about the call and how they managed to get everybody out safe and sound.

"You know, I kinda felt for Hickman. He just wanted to know his son," said Spike

"But it hadn't been determined if he was really the father. Had it?" she asked.

"No, that's true. I guess we will never know the outcome of this whole thing," Spike said solemnly. "So did you tell Ryan about the baby?"

"Ha ha...I didn't have to. He figured it out... all of it. He knew I was pregnant weeks ago and he could tell by my eyes or face or something that I had lost the baby."

"You're kidding!" Spike exclaimed. She shook her head. "It is a little freaky how well you guys know each other. If I didn't know better, I'd be a little jealous."

"I know it's weird, but trust me, you have nothing to worry about," she said going over and kissing him on the lips. He pulled her into his lap and captured her lips with his.

"I know," he said looking into her eyes with love. "Want some ice cream?" She smiled and nodded her head at him with a smile.

As they sat and ate ice cream, Spike thought that watching her eat ice cream may be one of the sexiest things he had ever seen. He decided to keep that thought to himself and just enjoy.

It had been an exhausting day so after they had cleaned up, Anisa said, "I know it's early, but I think I am going to get ready for bed, OK?"

Kissing her cheek he said, "Sure." As she disappeared into the bedroom he hollered after her, "Let me know if you need help." He heard her chuckle as he sat down on the sofa to look at the pamphlet that she had been reading. He made a mental note of the section about not making major decisions during this time. _"Maybe she's right..."_ he thought. He heard the shower go on and decided to call his mother.

"Hi, Ma. How's it going?"

"Ah, Mikey. I am good. How are you today? And how is Anisa feeling?"

"I'm good and she is doing better. Thanks, Ma. How's Dad feeling?"

She paused a moment before answering, "Mike, he is not doing well. I am so worried."

Spike rubbed his forehead as the tension began to take over. "I know, Ma, I am, too. Do you want me to come over?" He offered, even though his heart told him he should be here with Anisa.

"No, no, Mikey. You stay with Anisa. You need to be with there. There is nothing you can do here." Spike could hear the worry in her voice although she tried to hide it. He was torn and didn't know what to do.

"Ma, if you need me to come over, I can...She will understand."

"Michelangelo, you are where you need to be. I will talk to you tomorrow, OK?"

"OK, Ma. Ti voglio bene, mamma,*" said Spike.

"Ti voglio bene figlio mio,**" she said as she hung up.

Spike stood looking out the window, holding his phone in his hand. He hated that he couldn't be in both places.

"Hey, were you talking with your mom?" asked Anisa as she walked up behind him towel drying her hair.

"Yeah," said Spike with smile masking his worry.

"How is she doing? How's your dad?"

"She is worried about him," said Spike with anxiety in his voice.

"Mike, honey, you should go spend the night there," Anisa suggested seeing the torment in his eyes.

Spike wrapped his arms around her pulling her close. "My place is here with you." The way he said it left no room for discussion. She slid her arms up his back and rested her head on his chest wishing she could change the situation...take away this pain. As if he read her mind he said softly, "There is nothing you or I can do to change the way things are. Dad is sick and that is the reality, nothing will change that."

"I love you," she said tilting her head to look into his eyes. He bent down and kissed her sweetly.

"It's been a long day, let's get some rest," he said nudging her toward the bedroom.

Once they had settled into bed, Anisa rested her head on his chest as Spike gently stroked her arm. He glanced down and saw that her eyes were open.

"What ya thinking about?" he asked.

"Nothing," she muttered. He nudged her so she looked up into his eyes. He glared at her with the message that reminded her of the conversation they had about honesty. She sighed before she said, "I was just wondering if it was a boy or a girl."

He smiled lovingly at her. "Based on what I read, the gender is not determined until about week 17," reported Spike still stroking her arm.

She grinned because that was typical Spike...if he didn't know about something, he researched and read about it. She nodded her head in agreement and understanding, "I suppose you are right...I was just thinking if it were a girl we could have named her Mirabella...kind of a combination of beautiful miracle." At the thought of naming the baby her voice became a bit crackly.

"Sweetie, don't...don't go there. It may not be a such a good idea to pick out names for the baby," Spike said wrapping her in his arms.

Pulling slightly away from him she said, "Yeah, you're right, that is probably not a good idea." She rolled onto her side with her back to him. She was having a hard time swallowing the tears that threatened and she didn't want him to see her blubbering again. He put his arm around her and pulled her close so they were spooning.

"Hey, are you OK?" he whispered into her hair.

She nodded and pulled his arms around her tighter. "I hope when I wake up in the morning all this weepy crap will be gone. I once earned the nick-name 'Ice-cold Witch' and I kind of miss those days."

Spike chuckled at the nick-name. "I don't know, I sort of like this sweet emotional woman you are. I just can't picture you as an ice-cold witch," he said as he kissed her earlobe. His kisses migrated down her neck slowly. He detected a slight change in her breathing which he hoped indicated that she was feeling less upset, stabilizing her emotions slightly.

"We should probably just go to sleep," she said reluctantly and somewhat breathlessly.

As he nibbled on the back of her neck he said, "You're probably right. Ti amo."

Anisa turned to face him. She lightly stroked his face touching his lip with her thumb saying, "I love you more than anything." She drew his lips to hers and kissed him.

* * *

The following morning Spike woke before his alarm and glanced at the woman next to him. She was curled up on her side facing him. Her hair was tousled about the pillow and her breathing was steady. A strand of hair had landed across her forehead and eyes making her look like a young girl. Smiling, Spike gently lifted the strand of hair from her face. Her eyes fluttered opened at the movement and fell on Spike who was propped up on his elbow gazing at her, bringing a smile to her face.

"How is it that you wake up looking so beautiful?" he asked reveling his dimples.

Blushing she rolled onto her back chuckled and said, "You seriously need to get your eyes checked." She turned and looked at his gentle brown eyes and smiled. "Thank you for giving me a reason to smile when I wake up in the morning," she said kissing him softly.

Spike covered her body with his, sliding his arms under her back. Lowering his head so their lips were nearly touching. "I will give you another reason to smile," he murmured with a grin as he captured her lips with his. She responded by wrapping her arms around his neck pulling him even closer. Their intimate moment was interrupted by sound of Spike's alarm going off. He groaned as he rolled off of her to turned off the alarm.

"Ugh...sometimes this job ruins the best moments," he commented.

Anisa grinned and kissed his nose. "Yeah, but that job is also responsible for bringing us together," she added as she climbed out of bed and scampered off to the kitchen to make coffee.

* * *

Anisa, Ryan and Cameron spent the morning finishing up some details on the case they had just closed. Just after lunch Duncan called them into his office. As the trio entered the sergeant's office they saw a gentleman dressed in a business suit sitting in one of Duncan's chairs. They were introduced to David Coburn who was to be Cameron's new partner.

Anisa watched Cameron's face as Duncan made the introductions and noted a wariness. Ryan was the first one to extend his hand in welcome to the newcomer. Anisa followed suit, introducing herself. Finally, Cameron stepped forward and offered her hand to the new detective.

Duncan informed the detectives that they had a couple of new cases that needed their involvement. "I'm going to let the four of you decide which team gets to work on which case," he announced as he dismissed them.

The four of them spent the next hour or so discussing the cases. When Cameron excused herself to the restroom, Anisa followed her.

Once behind the closed door of the Ladies Room, Anisa said, "Hey, Cameron, you OK?"

"Yeah," she answered. She paused a moment before she said quietly, "I thought that we made a great team...you know the three of us."

"Cam, we all knew this was a temporary thing."

"I know, but I didn't think they would split us up so soon. I don't feel a chemistry with this new guy," she protested.

Anisa chuckled and then replied, "Do you remember your first day?" Cameron tilted her head trying to remember. Anisa continued, "I was not too happy to have a newbie to train, but I tried to be as nice as I could be, which if you listen to rumors, is not second nature to me."

Cameron laughed... "Oh yeah, I remember I was scared to death of you. I acted like an idiot and I spilled coffee all over you. Then you took me to the shooting range until my head cleared."

Anisa grinned. "I gave you a chance and you gave me a chance and I think we were both pleasantly surprised, weren't we?" Cameron nodded her head. "I'm just saying, give him a chance."

Cameron smirked and gave Anisa a nod, "OK."

* * *

Team One spent the day cleaning guns, tying ropes and organizing supplies. Spike took the time to fine tune Babycakes. As the end of shift approached, Spike's phone buzzed with a text message from Anisa. He opened the text as he was heading to the locker room.

_**Anisa: "Hey, we are headed to the Goose to break in Cameron's new partner. Wanna join us?"**_

Before Spike could answer the text, he was hit in the face with a balled up towel.

"Hey, what's that for?" he asked innocently.

"That's for not helping us do any of the housekeeping stuff...you know cleaning the guns sorting the supplies," answered Sam with a smirk.

"Yeah, how come you got out of all that stuff?" asked Raf.

"'Cause I'm a genius," answered Spike smugly.

"I thought you preferred 'gifted'," teased Sam.

Spike gave them a crooked smile as he changed into his street clothes and said, "Yes, that is true. Besides, Babycakes needed some TLC. Anytime you guys want to clean the treads of my robot, I will be happy to show you how."

"Uh..she is not _your _robot, Spike, but no thanks," chortled Sam. "And it is not a SHE!"

"You guys wanna grab a beer," asked Raf.

"Sure," said Sam.

"Yeah, let's go to the Goose. Anisa and Ryan will be there," added Spike, and they all agreed.

Spike texted Anisa and said the he and some of his team would be joining them at the Goose. The four detectives had procured a corner table and a pitcher of beer when the younger members of Team One entered the bar and approached the table.

The two groups began to mingle and Spike went over to Anisa and placed his hand on her shoulder. Cameron stood up extending her hand, "You must be the ever elusive 'Mike'."

"And you must be the one and only Cameron Stewart," said Spike shaking her hand. "Spike Scarlatti here. This is Sam Braddock, Jules Callahan and Raf Rousseau." Greetings were made and beers were poured as the group settled into a comfortable conversation.

Jules took a seat next to Anisa and gave her a nudge, "Hey girl, how have you been?"

Offering a big a smile, "Hey, Jules. I've been good. How about you?"

"Good. The house repairs are complete finally! You should come over and check them out."

"I'd love to. I was thinking it was time for another girls' day anyway. What do you think?"

"Me, too! How does Saturday look?" said Jules enthusiastically.

"Sounds great, but I get to pick the activity, this time."

"Ha ha...No yoga?" asked Jules. Anisa shook her head furiously. "OK, I'm game."

"How about a cooking class?" asked Anisa. "I am desperate to improve my skills in Italian cuisine."

"Sure, sounds like fun."

"Great, I'll register us for the class and will swing by your place Saturday morning."

* * *

*Ti voglio bene, mamma – I love you Mama

** Ti voglio bene figlio mi - I love you my son.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I really liked the suggestions and am planning to incorporate a couple of them. Stayed tuned and keep the ideas coming.


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: **Thanks for sticking with me. We have a few more chapters to go as we tie up a couple of loose ends. I will try to update a little more quickly. I am incorporating some of your idea in the next couple chapters, so I hope you recognize them.

**Disclaimer:** I wish I owned Flashpoint...but I don't :(

* * *

**Knowing Where You Need To Be**

**Chapter 26**

It was Wednesday evening and Spike opened the door to Anisa's apartment expecting to be assaulted by his two nephews, but he didn't hear the usual ruckus that followed his nephews everywhere. Instead, he found silence and the aroma of ginger emanating from the kitchen. He put his bag down and made his way to the kitchen where he found Anisa standing over the stove.

She turned to him, smiled and slid her arms around his neck. "Hi," she said as she brought her lips to his.

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back. When they separated, he offered her a dimple-revealing grin as he said, "Hi." He released her so she could continue to stir what was on the stove.

"Where are the boys?" he asked.

"Ria called to tell me that we didn't have to watch them tonight because Joe was going to be home. Weird, huh?"

"Yeah...weird," repeated Spike wondering what the deal was. Joe was never home in the evenings. Besides, he should be getting ready to leave...for good. Leaning over her shoulder, he said, "Mmmm, smells good. What's for dinner?"

"Stir fry. I hope you like it," she answered with a smile.

"Like I said, it smells good. How long until it's ready?"

"About 10 minutes, why?"

"I have a quick email that I need to send. That will be more than enough time. Be back in a few minutes, OK?" said Spike kissing her on the cheek as she nodded to him.

He went into the bedroom and pulled out his laptop. It took him about five minutes to find what he was looking for and two minutes to send the untraceable email to Joe. The subject line simply said, 'Tick Tock'.

The body of the email, was as follows:

"You are running out of time. You need to be gone (out of the house) by Friday at 12:00 noon or Ria will receive the following text and picture." Spike had sent a screen shot of a text from Joe's phone showing a series of intimate messages between Joe and a woman named Camilia. The picture was one that Joe had saved on his phone of him and a woman, presumably Camilia, in bed smiling.

It had only taken a few taps on the keyboard for Spike to gain access to the information on Joe's phone. He made sure to cover his tracks so nobody could tell that he had hacked Joe's phone. He closed his laptop and returned to the kitchen just as Anisa was serving dinner.

They ate and shared stories of their days.

"Did you talk to your mother today?" Anisa asked.

"Yeah. I am going to head over there in the morning since I am working the later shift tomorrow," answered Spike.

"Is everything OK?"

"I think so. She is just worried and needs a few things done around the house."

"Anything I can do?" she asked.

"Nah, I don't think so," said Spike. "I am starting to hate that house stupid house. It is falling apart and constantly needs work done."

"Oh, Mike, I like your house. It has character and memories and is full family and love," said Anisa with a smile.

"Are you getting all sentimental on me?"

"I don't know, maybe," she said. "Anyway, moving on..." she said, changing the subject.

"Oh and I have that doctor's appointment tomorrow morning. Hopefully he will clear me for full duty," Spike smiled hopefully.

When they finished, they cleared the dishes from the table. Spike turned to her and placed his hands on either side of her face. He drew her closer and kissed her passionately. Anisa felt her breath disappear and her toes curl as her spine tingled with the kiss.

"What was that for?" she asked breathlessly as they separated.

"Just saying thanks for taking such good care of me," said Spike with a smile.

Anisa giggled and said softly, "Isn't that what we do? Take care of each other..."

"Yep. Now you go relax and I will clean up," instructed Spike as he kissed her forehead.

When he entered the living room after cleaning up, he saw Anisa curled up on the sofa with a book.

"Hey, I forgot to tell you...Jules invited us over for dinner on Friday. What do you think? Are you up for it?"

Anisa smiled at him. "Sounds like fun. We are going to have another 'girls' day' on Saturday," she said snuggling against his side as he settled in with _Robot Magazine._

"No yoga I hope?"

"Ha ha. No...this time I got to pick the activity and no I am not going to tell you what we are doing," she said definitively.

"OK," said Spike with mild skepticism.

* * *

When Anisa came out of the shower the next morning, Spike was grabbing his keys and heading for the door.

"Wow, you are at it early today," she commented as he came over to kiss her goodbye.

"Yeah, got that doctor's appointment before heading to Mom's. I'll call you later. Keep safe, OK?" he said.

"Always. You, too. Love you."

"Love you too," he said as he closed the door behind him.

He arrived at Tim Horton's, ordered a coffee and took a seat. A couple of minutes later someone pulled out the chair across from him and sat down.

"Hi, Spike," came the deep voice.

"Hey, Ryan. Thanks for meeting me," said Spike trying to appear casual.

"No problem. Is everything OK? Is Anisa OK?" asked Ryan with mild concern.

"Yeah, she is OK, all things considered... with the loss of the baby and all. You know her, tough as nails, at least on the outside," said Spike trying to be lighthearted.

"Ha...and marshmallow in the inside," agreed Ryan.

Spike smiled and nodded his head. "I guess you are wondering why I asked you to meet me," said Spike trying to hide his nervousness.

Ryan sat back in his chair and said, "I am a little curious."

Spike looked at his cup as he slowly turned it in his hand. "Well, as you know, this past weekend was both shocking and traumatic. And … um... I don't know if she told you, but I made the mistake of asking Anisa to marry me on Sunday."

"Yeah, she told me. I'm sorry about that Spike," offered Ryan with empathy.

"Yeah, well, I am not known for my impeccable timing with women," he said with a smirk. "She was probably right about the timing," conceded Spike. He sat back , nervously rubbing his hands on the tops of his legs and looked at Ryan who sat quietly watching him. "You know I love her, right?" Ryan nodded his head. "This whole thing happened wrong...the pregnancy, the proposal...that isn't how I wanted it to happen," babbled Spike. He took a deep breath and then said, "So I am going to try this again ..."

Ryan tilted his head to the side quizzically, having no idea why Spike was telling him all this and acting so strangely.

Spike took another deep breath and looked directly at Ryan. "I love Anisa...with all my heart. And it is my intention to ask her to marry me."

"Spike, why are you telling me all this? I know you love her."

"It's just that she doesn't have any family and you are her best friend. You are her family...and..."

Ryan realized what Spike was getting at, "Are you asking my permission?"

"No, not really. But I would like your blessings," Spike said quietly.

"Spike, you have my blessings...you have from the start," said Ryan with a gentle smile. "You make her happier than she has ever been. And it is about time she had some happiness in her life. Actually, I think you could both do with a little happiness."

Spike smiled and breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Ryan."

Ryan grinned and shook his head, "I am really happy for you guys, but, Spike, I swear, if you die on her, I'm gonna kill you. So be careful."

Spike chuckled, "I am always careful." Spike checked his watch and said, "I got get going, but thanks for taking the time to meet me. It means a lot to me."

"Anytime...anything you need, Spike and I mean that," said Ryan standing up and extending his hand.

Spike took his hand and shook it, "Thanks, Ryan."

* * *

Anisa got into her car after a long day of researching her new case. She couldn't wait to get home and soak in a hot bath with a glass of wine. She texted Spike that she was going home and that she loved him. He didn't text back so she assumed he was out on a call.

She was half-way home when her phone rang and she answered through her bluetooth connection.

"Hello, this is McConnell."

"Anisa," came Mrs. Scarlatti's voice dripping with anxiety. "Thank God. I got you. I tried Mike, but he didn't pick up and neither did Ria."

Anisa heard the panic in her voice, "Mrs. Scarlatti, I think Mike is out on a call. What's wrong? How is Mr. Scarlatti?"

"Anisa...He has fallen and I can't … something is wrong..." said Mrs. Scarlatti frantically.

"OK, Mrs. Scarlatti. You need to stay calm. Can you tell me, is he breathing?"

"Yes."

"Is he conscious?"

"Yes."

"Ok. That's good." said Anisa calmly, hoping that it would calm Spike's mother down. "I am on my way. I should be there in about five minutes. I want you to call 911." She waited until she heard Mrs. Scarlatti say OK. Then she said reassuringly, "He is going to be alright."

"OK...please hurry."

In less than five minutes Anisa was running up the steps to the Scarlatti's front door. She knocked and opened the door announcing herself. Mrs. Scarlatti came running from the back bedroom.

"Oh thank God you are here. Come with me. He is in the bedroom," said Mrs. Scarlatti scurrying to the back of the house. When she walked into the bedroom, she saw Spike's father on the floor wedged between the bed and the wall. His breathing was labored, but he was conscious.

Anisa rushed to his side and gently touched his cheek. "Hi, Mr. Scarlatti. Seems you have gotten into a bit of a jam here," she said calmly drawing his eyes to her. She smiled causing him to smile slightly. She gently moved her fingers down to his neck to check his pulse. "Can you tell me what hurts?"

Mr. Scarlatti took a labored breath and said, "My side."

"OK. Before I help you up, I want to make sure that I don't hurt you so I am going to touch your side and I want you to tell me if it hurts, OK?"

He nodded and Anisa began gently pressing on his ribs to see if they were broken. He continued to shake his head no as she move her way up his side until she reached his upper ribs. He winced slightly. She pressed a little more firmly and watched his face for a reaction. Again he winced and she said, "OK, good. Now I want you to place your arms around my neck." She squatted in front of him and he feebly lifted his arms and placed them around her neck. "Good. OK now, I am going to reach behind you and then we are going to stand. I want you to tell me if I hurt you or if I am moving too quickly, OK?" Again he nodded. Anisa leaned forward and slid her arms around his torso getting as firm a grip as possible. "On three...one...two … three," counted Anisa. On three she slowly stood lifting him up as she did. When he was nearly in an upright position, she gently turned him so he could sit on the bed. Gently she guided him down onto the bed. The doorbell rang and Anisa instructed Mrs. Scarlatti to go let the paramedics in.

When Mrs. Scarlatti returned with the two paramedics, Anisa had managed to get Mr. Scarlatti lying down in the bed. She turned around and saw Steve and his partner enter the room.

"Hi, Steve," she greeted, remembering him from his rescue of Spike after the explosion at Union Station. She didn't know that he had been the one who saved her life that day at the warehouse months before.

"Hi Anisa. So this is Spike's dad?" he asked as he approached the bed.

"Yes. This Dominic Scarlatti," introduced Anisa as she stepped away from the bed allow Steve the chance to get closer.

"Mr. Scarlatti can you tell me what happened?" asked Steve. Mr. Scarlatti explained how he had lost his balance when he was getting into bed, had fallen and had been unable to move. He then explained how Anisa had helped him back into bed.

Steve turned and looked at Anisa questioningly prompting her to explain, "I checked to see if he had any broken ribs before I lifted him. It seems that he may have a fracture in an upper rib, but it doesn't appear that his lungs had been puncture." Steve nodded his head in understanding and conducted his examination.

When he finished the exam, he turned to Mrs. Scarlatti who stood with Anisa near the doorway to room. "I think that Anisa is right, his only injury is a slight fracture of an upper rib. We can take him to the hospital for an X-ray, but it is likely that the hairline fracture won't appear in the film this soon. With these things, the fractures don't always appear until they start to heal. Since there is really nothing to be done with a fractured rib, I will leave it up to you whether to bring him to the hospital. The alternative is let him rest and then make an appointment with your regular doctor tomorrow. It is up to you." Steve looked at Spike's mother for guidance. She in turn glanced at her husband who shook his head.

"We will keep him home and I will call his doctor in the morning. Thank you," she said taking his hand in hers in a gesture of gratitude. She then returned to her husband's bedside.

Anisa walked Steve and his partner to the door. As his partner carried the gear back to the ambulance, Anisa turned to Steve, "Thanks Steve. I really appreciate our help,"

"Really it is no problem. So... Spike's dad... how bad is he?" asked Steve obviously recognizing that Spike's father was not well.

"Terminal," she answered solemnly. "I think we are getting near the end. It is heartbreaking."

"Oh, man. I'm sorry to hear that. Poor Spike," he said shaking his head. Then looking at her and smiling he said, "I'm glad he has you."

Anisa thought she detected a note of wistfulness in his voice. She smiled back and said, "Thanks." They said their good-byes as he turned to leave the house.

Anisa checked her phone as she re-entered the house and still no message from Spike. She walked back to the bedroom and poked her head into the room.

Mrs. Scarlatti waved her in saying, "I am so grateful you are here. You must be hungry I will go make you some dinner."

"There is no need..." started Anisa as Mrs. Scarlatti scurried out of the room.

"Let her go. It's what she loves to do," said Mr. Scarlatti in raspy voice. "Come sit with me Anisette," he asked, patting the bed next to him.

She slowly walked to the side of the bed and sat down. She looked into his gentle brown eyes that were watery with age. She saw so much of Spike in those eyes. He placed his gnarled hand on hers and it felt so cold.

"You are a sweet girl, Anisette. My son loves you more than he has ever loved anyone," he said, his voice still sounding gravelly. "You make him smile, you give him peace … you have given him a home...a place where he belongs." Anisa swallowed hard as a tear threatened to break free.

He continued, "And you love him, too, no?"

"With all my heart," was all she managed to squeak out.

"I feel that you two were meant for each other. My heart is at peace, now that he has you in his life. I hoped that I would see you two married and starting a family, but ..." he trailed off. "Now my hope is that Michelina will see this," he finished, nodding his head.

Mr. Scarlatti smiled warmly and patted her hand. "But I would ask something of you...," he said waiting for her to nod her head. "When my time comes, do not let Michelangelo fall into his dark place. Be his light."

Anisa's heart ached. She felt as if she were losing her own father again. "I will be with him, always, no matter what."

He patted her hand again and smiled saying, "Time for me to rest. You go get something to eat." He closed his eyes slowly to indicate that she could leave. She quietly stood and walked out of the room, stopping outside to gather herself before walking into the kitchen. As she approached the entrance of the kitchen, the phone rang. Mrs. Scarlatti began speaking rapidly in Italian. Anisa quickly determined that she was talking to Spike. She heard her name mentioned and thought she heard the word "mangia", which she was pretty sure meant "eat" in Italian.

When she hung up, Mrs. Scarlatti turned to Anisa and explained that Spike was on his way, so they could eat together. About five minutes later, the kitchen door opened and in walked Spike with worry painted all over his face. He immediately went to his mother and embraced her. The two began speaking in Italian as his mother puttered about kitchen preparing the dishes. Spike glanced at Anisa and it dawned on him that she must be feeling left out so he reverted back to English.

"So how is he now?" asked Spike walking over to Anisa and kissing her cheek.

"He is resting. I will make an appointment with his doctor tomorrow," explained his mother.

"OK, I am going to check on him," said Spike giving Anisa's shoulder a gentle squeeze before heading into the bedroom.

When he returned to the kitchen, the table was set for two. He announced, "He is sleeping."

His mother nodded and said, "I will leave you two to eat. I have some laundry to do."

When they were alone, Spike took Anisa's hand from across the table and said softly, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said and proceeded to explain how she had found his father on the floor and managed to get him back into bed. She also told him that Steve thought that he may have an injured rib and should go to his doctor in the morning.

"You lifted my dad back into the bed by yourself?" Spike asked with a smirk.

She looked at him and smiled back, "He is not as heavy as he looks."

"Or maybe you are freakishly strong for someone your size," he teased.

Anisa wrinkled her face and asked, "Did you just call me a freak?"

Spike gave her a mischievous grin and said, "I didn't say it was a bad thing." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively causing her to break into giggles. He loved the sound of her laughter. Then he said seriously, "I'm glad you were here. Thank you."

"I'm glad I was here, too," she said. "As I said before, that's what we do, we take care of each other, right?" Spike nodded.

"Yes, that is what family does," said Mrs. Scarlatti from the doorway, "we take care of each other." She entered the kitchen started clearing the dishes.

Anisa and Spike just looked at each other for a moment processing what his mother had said. When they tried to help her with the dishes, she ushered them out of the kitchen.

As they walked into the family room, Anisa said, "I wish your mother would let me help her in the kitchen."

"Ha ha...Do NOT mess with an Italian mother in the kitchen. It is a scary thing," warned Spike.

"OK... OK," chuckled Anisa.

"Besides, I don't think I have given you a proper greeting," said Spike drawing her into an embrace. He cupped the side of her face with his hand as he brought his lips to hers. The kiss began gently, but as she pulled him closer it deepened. Spike's hand tangled in her hair as she moaned softly into his mouth.

As his lips trailed down her chin and along her jawline, she murmured, "I love you... so much."

When Spike's lips reached her ear, he whispered, "That's good, because we're family... and you never question an Italian mother."

Anisa loosened her grip on him and slowly allowed her breathing to return to normal. She looked up into his coffee colored eyes sucking her bottom lip into her mouth. He rubbed his thumb down her jaw from her ear to her lip gently tugging it out of her mouth. He lowered his mouth so it was almost touching hers, but not quite.

"Let me do that," he said softly, taking her lower lip into his mouth gently with his teeth.

She couldn't believe how he made her heart race and her knees weak. She found herself gripping his shirt so she would fall should her knees buckle. "Mike, we need to stop...what if your mom walks in?"

"I'm pretty sure that she knows that we kiss once in a while," said Spike kissing her again.

"I know, but I don't want to get carried away."

Spike offered his best puppy dog eyes, "Bummer."

Their intimate moment was interrupted by the sound of a dish crashing to the floor in the kitchen. Spike released Anisa and bolted into the kitchen and to his mother's side. Anisa followed quickly behind. Mrs. Scarlatti was picking up pieces of the broken plate from the floor when Spike noticed that her hand was shaking.

She turned to him and said, "I'm sorry." It was then that Spike noticed that she had been crying.

He guided her up to a standing position and embraced her saying, "It's OK, Ma."

Anisa picked up pieces of the plate as Spike guided his mother out of the kitchen.

"Michelangelo, what am I going to do when he goes?"

"I know, Ma, I know," Spike said trying to comfort his mother.

"I know I should be strong, but your father has been my world for 45 years and I can't imagine what my life will be like without him in it."

Spike had no idea what to say, so he held her tight. Finally he said, "Mamma, you have been the rock of this family forever...we will be here for you, Ria, me, your grandkids and Anisa."

Mrs. Scarlatti looked into her son's eyes, "You look so much like he did when he was young." The statement caused Spike blush slightly, but also smile. She began to get control of her emotions and touched his cheek lightly and said. "Grazie, Michelangelo." She waited a minute then took hold of his hand and said as she stood up, "Don't take too long."

Spike cocked his head to the side not understanding. "With what, Ma?"

"I think I deserve more than three grandchildren," she said and turned to go into the bedroom.

Spike stood in the family room not knowing what to say, but it didn't matter because his mother had already closed the door to the bedroom He was standing there confused when Anisa entered the family room.

"Is she OK?" asked Anisa.

"Yeah...this is the first time I have seen her breakdown. Everybody deserves a chance to breakdown once in a while," he responded still a little off balance from her last comment.

Anisa nodded as she walked over to him. She noticed that vein protruding on his forehead that either indicated that he was thinking very hard about something or was worried. She assumed that in this case it was caused by worry. She slid her arms around him and drew him into an embrace.

"Mike you should stay here tonight."

He shook his head, "No. I should be with you."

"I am fine and your mother needs you tonight...and your father will want to see you in the morning," she insisted.

He looked into her slate blue orbs as if they held the answer to what he was supposed to do. "'Nis, I don't want to leave you alone. Why don't you stay here, too?"

Anisa smiled at him and said, "Baby, I can't. This your parent's home and I wouldn't be comfortable, besides I don't have any of my stuff." She kissed him and said, "It will be good for you and your parents."

Spike looked at her, "Are you sure you'll be OK?"

"I'm sure. I'll call you when I get home, alright?"

He drew her closer and kissed her, "OK...but I'm gonna miss you."

"I'm gonna miss you, too," she touched the vein on his forehead and said, "Get a good night's sleep."

"I'll try," he said kissing her again. "Ti amo."

"I love you more than anything," she murmured as they kissed one more time before she walked out the door.

* * *

A/N: Thanks again to all those who have read and reviewed. Stay tuned for another appearance of Joe in the next chapter (he is back by unpopular demand).


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: **Thanks for sticking with me. We have a few more chapters to go as we tie up a couple of loose ends and this one is mostly fluff. I am incorporating some of your ideas … in the next couple chapters.

**Disclaimer:** I wish I owned Flashpoint...but I don't :(

**Knowing Where You Need To Be**

**Chapter 27**

Spike was pouring himself some coffee when he heard the familiar shuffle of feet behind him. He turned to see his parents entering the kitchen, his mom helping his dad.

"Buon giorno," he greeted them getting some coffee cups out of the cupboard. His mom helped his dad into a chair and pulled out some pans to start breakfast.

"How are you feeling, Pa?" asked Spike taking a seat at the table next to his father.

"Not bad. A little sore," answered Mr. Scarlatti.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be here to help," said Spike with guilt obvious in his voice.

His father placed his hand over his son's saying, "Do not feel guilty, my son. You were where you were meant to be and I am good." Spike nodded silently. "Your Anisette, she is …" Mr. Scarlatti searched for the word as Spike smirked at the pet name his father had given her. "...special."

Spike nodded and chuckled at the thought that went through his mind. See the confusion on his father's face, he explained, "I thought you were going to say she was freakishly strong."

"Ha ha... well she is that, too," concurred his father. "She is a good fit for this family."

"Even if she is not Italian?" teased Spike.

His mother returned to the table with breakfast and said with a grin, "Maybe _because_ she is not Italian." This comment caused both men to raise their eyebrows and they all chuckled.

On his ride to work, Spike contemplated the brief breakfast with his family. It had been a long time since they had all had breakfast together. It had been even longer since they had enjoyed such friendly banter. He began to let the nostalgia take over his brain. He stopped himself as he began thinking about the fact that this may be one of the last opportunities they would have as a family to enjoy a meal together.

The team spent the day doing some training exercises, which was good because Spike's lack of sleep over the past several days was starting to catch up with him. They took a lunch break at about 1:00 so Spike checked his phone for messages and saw one from Ria. He dialed her number expecting her to tell him that Joe had moved out.

"Hey Ria, what's up?"

"Hey little, bro. Ma said Anisa saved the day with dad yesterday. Impressive."

"Yeah, it was lucky that she could get there so quickly. What were you up to?" asked Spike.

"Joe wanted to go out to dinner."

"Really?" asked Spike unable to hide the shock

"Yeah, don't get excited... it ended in an argument as it always does."

"Oh...sorry," said Spike not exactly sure what else to say.

"Whatever," said Ria with resignation evident in her tone. "You know, part of me just wishes he would pack his bags and leave, you know."

"Yeah. Why don't you just ask him to leave?"

"I tried to, sort of, last night, but he said that I didn't have a good reason to ask him to leave," said Ria.

"I bet if you look on his phone you might find some reasons," mentioned Spike.

Are you suggesting I spy on my husband's phone?

"Spying is such a nefarious term...simply looking might be a better way to put it,"

"He has it with him and besides, it has a passcode lock on it."

"I don't think it would take a rocket scientist to guess what his passcode is. If it were up to me, I might guess his birthday."

"Mike, do you know something that you are not telling me?"

"Of course I do. I know lot's of things that you don't know, but we don't have time to go over all of them now. But if you want, I can start with the chemical compounds of fertilizer based explosives..."

"No...no...stop," she pleaded. She wanted to change the subject, so she said, "Anyway, enough about me and Joe...I just wanted to tell you that dad has a slight fracture to one rib, but the doctor says he will be alright. And I wanted to tell you that Anisa is amazing, but you already knew that."

Spike smiled and said, "Yes, I did know that."

"I can't believe she lifted dad back into bed," she said with a giggle. She heard her brother chuckle, too. "Anyway, Mike, life is short. You should be happy... don't let her get away, OK?"

"Copy that. Ri, I gotta go. See ya Sunday?"

"Yep."

Shift ended and Spike had a couple of things to put away after giving Babycakes a tune-up. He had confirmed with Jules that he and Anisa were coming over around 7:30 for dinner. The sky was darkening when he made his way to his car. He assumed that the rest of Team One had already left so he was alone in the parking lot. As he put his bag in the back seat, he heard a sound behind him. He turned to see Joe approaching him carrying a baseball bat in his right hand and an angry expression on his face. _"This is not good." _thought Spike.

"You ruined my life!" shouted Joe.

"Seriously, Joe?" said Spike raising his hands in a defensive gesture, knowing that the entire thing was being captured on security cameras. "You approach an SRU officer at SRU headquarters with a baseball bat. Probably not your best idea ever," said Spike as a warning.

"Ria kicked me out, because she saw that picture on my phone! She stole my phone and went through my texts. That is an invasion of privacy and it has to be against the law."

Again taking a defensive posture, Spike said, "Joe, I am not sure what you are talking about. Think about it...if you go to the police, and show them the pictures and texts that she saw, it probably won't look very good for you. Besides, how is this my fault?"

"Since I know you somehow hacked into my phone you must have told her my passcode! You little weasel!" exclaimed Joe getting angrier.

In a calm tone, Spike explained, "As I said before, I don't know what you are talking about. I don't know how she got your passcode, but I bet it wouldn't be hard to guess. I think you should just leave, it might be best for all concerned." Joe took an aggressive step toward Spike. "Joe, I am warning you... if you raise that bat to me, I will arrest you for assaulting a police officer with a deadly weapon."

The ire in Joe's eyes grew as he took another step toward Spike. He was within striking range now. "You know, I'm getting a little sick of your holier-than-thou attitude. You think you are so cool because you have a badge and gun, but what good are they going to do you now? Huh? You are still the nerdy little geek that you always were," snarled the larger man.

"I have warned you twice and this is your final warning. If you raise that bat to me, I will arrest you," warned Spike.

At that moment, Joe leaned in slightly. He quickly lifted the bat to hit Spike bringing it down with great force, but Spike was ready. Spike grabbed the bat with one hand at each end and quickly used Joe's force against him to strike him on the side of the head. The blow sent Joe to his knees releasing the bat and grabbing his head. Spike threw the bat away and pushed Joe the rest of the way to the ground.

"Stay down," Spike barked at a now dazed Joe. He saw out of the corner of his eye someone approaching rapidly.

"Spike!" came Ed's voice as Spike heard the footsteps approaching. "You OK?"

"Yeah...I'm fine," said Spike. "Do you have some cuffs?"

Ed was still in his uniform since he and greg had been stuck doing paperwork. "Yeah, here you go," he said handing Spike his cuffs. Spike placed the hand cuffs on Joe and dragged him to his feet.

"Ed, I'd like you to meet my brother-in-law, Joe who is now under arrest for assault on a police officer with a deadly weapon," said Spike with disgust in his voice. The two officers escorted their subject back into the building. Joe was then transported to the jail while Spike filled out paperwork on the event.

"Good timing, Ed," said Spike as they walked back out to the parking lot together. "I am glad you showed up when you did, but how did you know?"

"Greg and I had just finished up and he had gone into the locker room. I was in the hallway calling Sophie when Winnie called me over to her desk. On her monitor was the view from the parking lot camera. Apparently, someone was monitoring the security cameras and saw what was happening so they called her. I knew that was your car so I took off out there," explained Ed. "Wanna tell me what brought that on?"

"In a nutshell, my sister kicked him out and he thinks it is my fault," said Spike. "Obviously she did not marry him for his brains." Ed chuckled quietly. "Anyway, I am glad you showed up when you did. Thanks."

"It looked like you had things pretty well in hand when I got there," confessed Ed.

"Except, I didn't have any restraints. Was gonna pull out my phone and call for back-up, but then you showed up," grinned Spike as he reached his car. "Thanks again, buddy."

"I got your back, always," said Ed patting him on the back and offering his standard grin that reach from ear-to-ear.

Spike started his car and called Anisa as he pulled out of the parking garage to tell her that he was sorry he was running late and that he would explain everything when he got home. He then called his sister.

"Hey Ria, you OK?"

"I have had better days... you?"

"Me too. Listen, I gotta tell you something about Joe," said Spike.

"That cheating asshole!" she grumbled at Spike.

"Yeah, that's the one. He came at me in the parking lot at work with a baseball bat," explained Spike. He waited for that to sink in before he continued, "I arrested him and he is jail at least for the evening. I wanted you to hear it from me."

"He jumped you with a baseball bat at SRU headquarters?" muttered Ria with disbelief. "Are you OK?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. He didn't really have a chance to do any harm," said Spike. "_He_ might have a headache for a little while, though."

"Could he be more of an idiot?" she asked rhetorically. "I kicked him out."

"Yeah...he told me. Sorry about that, Sis."

"I'm not. Should have done it years ago..." She paused a moment before continuing, "I can't believe he went after you. He kept mumbling your name, I should have called you to warn you or something. Sorry, Mike."

"Don't worry about it, no harm no foul. Listen, I gotta go. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"OK. See ya."

When Spike walked into Anisa's apartment he heard, Fun. coming from the speakers. And then he heard Anisa singing , "We are young...", which of course made he smile. He followed the off-key sounds into the bedroom and then the bathroom, where he found Anisa applying makeup. He stood momentarily in the doorway looking at her. She was wearing a pair of jeans that fit her perfectly and lacy camisole. He walked up behind her and slid his arms around her waist aand pulled her close up against his chest. He bent down and kissed her cheek causing her to let out a giggle. As he kissed along her jawline with painstaking slowness, he slid his hand under the cami and up along her rib cage. His lips made their way back to her ear.

"How are you feeling?" he whispered into her ear.

"Good..." she said breathlessly. "Better every minute..."

Finally she couldn't take it anymore so she turned around in his arms and her lips devoured his. As the kiss intensified, Spike guided her toward the bed. It felt as though it had been ages since they had been so intimate and both of their bodies were craving it. As the backs of Anisa's legs hit the bed, her knees bent and she eased down onto the bed never losing contact with Spike's lips. Spike had nearly gotten her top off when she gently pushed him back.

Barely able to breathe Anisa said, "Mike... aren't we going to be late? Jules is expecting us."

Spike rolled off of her, catching his breath. "Yeah, you're right...but I think I need a minute," he chortled. After a couple of minutes they both got up. Anisa finished dressing and turned to see Spike buttoning a collared shirt. She went over and began buttoning it for him.

"So, are you gonna tell me why you were late? You sounded...a little strange on the phone," she asked looking up into his face.

"It was nothing. I'll tell you later," he said trying to deflect the conversation.

She looked at him and saw the vein in his forehead begin to bulge. Reaching up, she touched it gently and raised an eyebrow.

Knowing that she would not let it drop, he said, "OK. I had to arrest Joe this evening. He came at me in the parking lot with a baseball bat."

"What?! Mike, don't you think you might have led with that when you walked in?" Anisa couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"I'm sorry but you were a little distracting in your skimpy top..." teased Spike hoping the conversation would head in a different direction.

"Seriously, Mike... what happened? Are you OK? Do I want to know how Joe is?"

"The short of it is that Ria kicked him out and he blames me. He thinks of me as a nerdy little geek and tried to hit me with the bat...I stopped him and took him into custody. All happened pretty fast."

"He forgot you were a geek with combat skills," she said with a slight grin. With her hands resting on his chest, Anisa looked up into his eyes, "I am glad you are OK." She kissed his chin then added, "I have to admit... I really do not like that man and Ria deserves better."

"I agree," said Spike. "Let's not think about it and have a good evening, OK?"

"OK, let's go," responded Anisa grabbing her purse and heading for the door.

When they arrived at Jules', Sam opened the door and ushered them in. Spike and Anisa knew that Sam and Jules' relationship was still a secret. Spike handed Sam the bottle of wine they had brought as Jules came out of the kitchen and hugged her guests. While dinner was cooking, Jules gave Anisa and Spike a tour of the house and the renovations.

"Jules, this is amazing... you know you could have a second career as a contractor," commented Anisa. "I'll know who to call if I ever need some renovation work. Guess, I should probably get a house first, huh?" They all chuckled.

After the tour, Sam pour a glass of wine for everyone and adjourned to the family room with Spike. Anisa and Jules went to the kitchen to finish up dinner.

"So, you and Sam still have to keep your relationship secret?" asked Anisa.

Jules sighed and said, "Yeah, which kind of sucks. I feel like I am lying to the team. Spike knows, but that puts him in an awkward position, too. Hopefully we will have formal approval in the next couple of months."

"Yeah, there is nothing good about secrets," agreed Anisa.

"Enough about that topic, how about you? Last time we talked, you were fighting a stubborn stomach virus. How are you feeling?" asked Jules while she stirred something on the stove.

Anisa looked down at the glass in her hand and took a sip out of it before answering, "Turns out it wasn't a virus after all." She paused while she tried to muster the nerve to tell Jules about the baby. "Actually, I was pregnant..." she said watching Jules' face for a reaction. Jules' eyes got big and a tentative smile began to creep across her face. "Unfortunately, I lost the baby," Anisa confessed.

Jules' did what came naturally to her, she wrapped Anisa in her arms and held her close. "Anisa, I'm so sorry. How are you doing? Are you OK?"

Anisa felt the warmth of the embrace and hugged her back. "Thanks, Jules'. I'm doing OK," she said as the women released each other. "Physically, I think I am fine. Emotionally, that is another story. I lost the baby on Saturday so it's been a tough week. But each day seems to see fewer tears and more smiles, so I think that is good, you know."

Jules nodded and offered a weak smile. "If there is anything I can do...you know I'm here for you."

Anisa smiled and said, "Thanks, Jules, I know. Listen, I am not sure who Spike has told so ..."

Jules grinned, "I am pretty good at keeping secrets."

The two women nodded at each other, as the men entered the kitchen. Jules put them to work setting the table and dishing out the food. She made a delicious meal of roast beef and potatoes with a salad. The dinner was filled with stories and laughter. When it was over, Spike and Anisa rose to carry their dishes to the kitchen. As they placed their dishes in the sink, Spike slid his arm around her waist and kissed her neck just below her earlobe.

"How you doing?" he whispered into her ear bringing a smile to her face.

"I'm good," she smiled leaning slightly into him. "How are _you _doing?"

"I'm good too," he said kissing her cheek just as Sam and Jules entered the kitchen. Anisa and Spike went back out to the dining room to fetch more items from the table. When they returned to the kitchen, both Sam and Jules turned to them and smiled.

"What?" said Spike with a wrinkled brow.

Sam grinned and usher him out of the kitchen and said, "Jules was just telling me what cute couple you two make."

"Ha Ha... OK," said Spike, feeling a little embarrassed.

"We are just glad you found somebody who can tolerate your geekiness," added Sam with a smirk.

"Thanks, Sam," said Spike facetiously.

On the way home, Spike reached across and took Anisa's hand in his. "You're awfully quiet...you OK?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm good. I was just thinking about how hard it must be for Sam and Jules to keep their relationship secret. They can't share it..you know their happiness... with their friends."

"I guess, but it's not like the whole team doesn't already know. We just kind of look the other way. But I know what you mean...I know they look forward to a time when it can be out in the open. For right now, though it has to be a secret."

"Speaking of secrets, I told Jules about the baby..." she waited for his reaction. "Hope that was OK," she said questioningly.

He stroked the top of her hand with his thumb and said, "Of course it's OK, Babe."

Changing the subject, he asked, "So are you and Jules still doing your 'girl day' tomorrow?"

"Yep."

"What do you have planned?" he asked.

"Ha ha. Not going to tell you...it's a surprise and hopefully you will reap the benefits," she teased.

"Hmm ... OK..." he responded curiously.

Once they arrived at Anisa's apartment, Anisa made her way to the bedroom to get ready for bed. She could hear Spike talking to his mother on the phone. Her heart ached for him as he tried help his family in anyway he could. Anisa had just finished washing her face when Spike entered the bedroom and began getting undressed. She walked up to him as he was pulling off his shirt and wrapped her arms around him drawing him into an embrace.

"Michelangelo Scarlatti, I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone."

Spike hugged her back and looked down at her with a quizzical grin. "What brought that on?"

"I was just counting my blessings, I guess. You are a good son, a good brother, a good friend...you are a good man. I'm not sure how it happened, but I am lucky that you ended up in my life."

Although he was trying to hide his blush he said, " I don't know about all that, but it is sweet of you to say."

She rose up onto her toes and brushed his lips with hers, whispering, "Trust me, I know what I am talking about."

She kissed him more deeply, and he responded with enthusiasm. She kissed down his neck and he moaned softly as reached the hollow at the base of his neck. He peeled off her shirt as she reached for his belt buckle. They made their way over to the bed leaving a trail of clothes behind them.

**A/N: ** This was a bit of a filler chapter and I am not sure I love the way it turned out. I hope you liked the little whomping that Spike gave Joe, though. I actually had to re-write part of it because it didn't seem like "Spike". I hope you all agree.


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: ** Sorry for the delay in posting. This chapter is mostly filler and thus took a while to write. Although there is little action, there is a ton of emotion setting the stage for the next couple of chapters.

**Disclaimer:** I wish I owned Flashpoint...but I don't :(

**Knowing Where You Need To Be**

**Chapter 28**

Spike opened his eyes when he felt a movement in the bed next to him. The room was brightening as the sun filled the room with its warm glow. He turned his head to the side and saw Anisa curled up on her side. She had a death grip on the sheet and her face had an expression of anxiety, pain or maybe fear. Spike could see her body was tense, not relaxed as a sleeping form should be. He moved closer and placed his arm around her drawing her near. He held her protectively as her breath quickened and she let out a slight cry. Her heart pounded and her eyes flew open resting on Spike's gentle but concerned face. She closed her eyes and buried her face in his chest savoring the comfort of his embrace. He knew how she felt...no matter how hard you tried, the nightmares never really went away. It just came with the job.

As her breathing returned to normal, Spike whispered, "You OK?" She nodded yes. "Wanna talk about it?" he asked.

She squeezed her eyes shut to push the memory of the dream away. "No," she grumbled. So he just held her. After a minute or so, he felt her relax a bit more. He said nothing, but just gently stroked her arm waiting for her to decide whether to talk about it. Another couple minutes went by until she relaxed against his side with her head resting on his chest. She didn't want to tell him about the dream because she didn't want to upset him. They both had jobs they loved, and those job were dangerous. They both knew that and tried to not burden themselves or each other with worry. Telling him about the dream would serve no purpose but to sadden him because her worry for his safety was invading her sleep. He continued to hold her for a few minutes then gently kissed her head, then her nose and then he placed a light kiss on her lips. He looked into her eyes pleading for her to free herself of the anguish in her heart and unburden herself by telling him about her dream.

Finally, she spoke in a shaky voice, "It doesn't really make sense...You were there with me. There was an explosion and then another. Then you turned away from me and ran and then there was another explosion and...and... you were running toward the explosion ...into the explosion." Anisa pinched her eyes closed at the thought of Spike running into the explosion. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly in an attempt to regain her composure. She tried to roll away from him, to escape to the solitude of the bathroom, but Spike held soundly to her.

"I'm here and I'm not going anywhere," he tried to reassure her.

"I know. It was just a dream, I know," she mumbled trying to sound unaffected.

With his index finger he tilted her head up so he was looking into her eyes. He knew that she was also thinking about the day she had lost her husband Sean and he had no words to take away the pain and fear she was feeling. He knew he wanted to marry this woman, but she had refused his proposal and made him promise to wait a few months before asking again. It had been only a week since then so he kept his promise. He tenderly kissed her lips.

As they separated he softly vowed, "I promise to care for you always...no matter what. I promise to be true to you forever. I promise to love you for the rest of my life." He kissed her again and she responded tentatively at first, but as the meaning behind his words sunk in, her kiss gained enthusiasm.

Eventually she rolled out of bed with a smile on her face all memory of the dream gone. She grabbed the first piece of clothing she found, which happened to be Spike's shirt from the night before and skittered off to the bathroom. He thought to himself as she disappeared into the bathroom, that seeing her wear his shirt was beyond sexy. He climbed out of bed and threw on a pair jeans and made his way to the kitchen to start some coffee. Moments later she shuffled into the kitchen and saw Spike pulling some coffee mugs from the cabinet. She slid her arms around his naked torso and kissed the back of his shoulder. He turned to face her with a big smile on his face.

"Thank you," she said sliding her arms around his neck.

"What for?" he chuckled pulling her close.

"For... what you said before...it helped," she said kissing him. Spike slid his hand down her side to hem of his shirt which she was still wearing.

Slowly inching the hem of the shirt up until he touched bare skin, Spike said, "What can I say, I'm a helpful guy." He kissed her jaw and then down her neck.

"Mmm... Mike, you are gonna have to stop. I have a busy day," she feebly protested.

"What time are you meeting Jules?" he mumbled through the kisses on her neck which were now drifting to her shoulder.

"11:00," she said breathlessly.

"Sounds like we have a couple of hours," said Spike as his lips continued their migration south.

She pushed him away gently saying, "I am going for a run and then I have to shower. You are welcome to join me."

"Hmm. That is tempting. I'll join you for the run if I can join you for the shower, too," he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Giggling, she playfully slapped his shoulder and said, "You are bad." She left the kitchen and went into the bedroom to put on some running clothes.

The couple had an 8K run through the cemetery and the surrounding area. As they made their way back to their car, they each stopped at the graves of their loved ones. Spike told Lou about Anisa and the baby, the failed proposal and about how his father's health was declining. Anisa told Sean the same things. She had expected to cry because she almost always cried when she talked to him, probably because she would start to miss him and his presence. This time however, she felt more like she was reporting information to a friend rather than wishing for him to be there with her to help her through. Spike stayed back giving her her space and only approached when he saw her stand up.

Walking up next to her, he said, "How ya doing?"

She kissed him chastely on the lips and said, "Good, really good. You?"

"Good, too. Lou didn't have much to say, he's a pretty quiet guy," said Spike lightheartedly. She chuckled and slipped her hand into his comfortably as they made their way back to the car.

After a longer-than-normal shower, Anisa and Spike got dressed for their days. Spike's phone range just as he finished putting his shirt on.

"Hi Ria," he answered.

"Hey," she said and Spike could hear the tension in her voice. "I was hoping I could borrow you for a little while today...would that be OK?"

"Yeah, I was planning to head over to your place this morning. What can I do?"

"I don't want to take you away from Anisa all day, just need a hand with lock changing."

"Anisa is busy all day with Jules, so I am all yours. How many locks do you need? I will pick them up on my way over," said Spike. They worked out the details while Anisa finished dressing. She was putting on some earrings when he walked into the bedroom

"I am going over to Ria's to help her do somethings. I was going to bring the boys back here tonight when she takes CiCi to her lesson. Is that OK? Should I pick up something for dinner?"

She grinned, "Nope... I got that covered, I think. I'm glad the boys will be here."

He pulled her into an embrace and kissed her. "So, you are still not going to tell me what you have planned for the day?" he questioned. She shook her head with a devilish grin on her face. "OK, see tonight," he said with one final kiss before he left.

Spike stopped at the hardware store and the electronics store on his way to his sister's house. As he pulled up to the house, he received a text message from her saying that she was at an attorney's office and would see him soon and explain everything then. She also said that CiCi was watching the boys and was expecting him.

Spike rang the doorbell carrying several bags. His niece opened the door with a smile to let him in as his littlest nephew, Tommy slammed into his legs.

"Hey guys," said Spike embracing his niece and nephew. His other nephew, Joey, stood at the other end of the foyer and waved half-heartedly. Spike released the two kids and went up to Joey, "Hey buddy, how ya doing?" Spike noticed that the boy was a little standoffish.

"I'm OK, Uncle Mike" said the boy.

"OK guys, let Uncle Mike get to work. Why don't we go play Wii?" said CiCi.

Tommy turned to his uncle and asked, "Are you going to play with us?"

"I have a couple of things to do for your mom and then I will play, OK?"

CiCi led the young boy into the family room while Spike got to work changing the locks. He was working on the lock on the front door when the felt a presence behind him, so he turned to see who was there.

"Joey, buddy, what's up?" asked Spike. The boy just looked at his uncle and shrugged his shoulders. "Wanna give me a hand?" asked Spike.

The boy shrugged and said, "I guess so."

"Great, I could use a helper. Can you hand me a phillips head?" asked Spike. Joey reached down and found the requested screw driver. Spike and his little helper worked diligently to change all of the locks in the house and then moved on to Spike's other project which was installing a security camera. When they had finished, Spike sat down with his nephew in the kitchen with a glass of soda.

"So, buddy, you OK? You seem a little quiet today," said Spike knowing that his nephew must be feeling confused and unsettled, but he wasn't sure what his sister had told him.

"I'm fine," said the boy unconvincingly.

"OK, but you know you can talk to me about anything, right?" said Spike causing Joey to nod. "Thanks for your help today." Spike watched his nephew and could see he was trying to form question so he sat patiently.

"Uncle Mike, how did you learn how to do all this stuff? You know, the locks and setting up the cameras and stuff?" asked Joey.

Spike smiled at the innocence of the question, then answered, "I started by reading about stuff like that and then I tried some experiments. If you want, I can show you some basic experiments if you want."

Joey's face grew into a big smile, "Really? That would be awesome."

Spike smiled more broadly and then said, "Sure, it would be fun. I will get you some books to read too. How does that sound?"

Joey's smile grew as he nodded vigorously and said, "Great!" Joey had relaxed enough to say, "Do you know why my dad didn't come home and mom asked you to change the locks?"

"_Yikes..."_ thought Spike _"...how do I answer this one."_ "Well, buddy.. you see your dad got himself into a little bit of trouble and ummm ... I think your mom just felt safer with new locks."

"Are they going to get a divorce?" asked the boy bluntly

"I don't know, kiddo, but I know that your mom loves you very much and she has...not been happy for a while," Spike was a little nervous about the direction this conversation was heading.

"Yeah... they have been fighting a lot lately," conceded Joey. Then he got pensive for a moment, before saying, "Especially since we have been spending more time with Anisa."

Spike's eyebrows shot up at the mention of Anisa's name. He wasn't sure what to say so he simply asked, "Why do you say that?"

But before Joey could answer, Ria walked in through the kitchen door carrying some bags and folders. Spike jumped up to take somethings out of her hands giving Joey the opportunity to escape into the den. As they were emptying the bags, Spike asked how it went.

With a heavy voice, Ria explained, "I talked to an attorney about starting divorce proceedings and he started the paperwork. After I told him what Joe did to you, he suggested I get a restraining order, which I did." She leaned against the counter shaking her head. "Mike, am I doing the right thing? I am so worried about how this will impact the kids."

Spike nodded and said, "I understand your concern about that and I am not really sure what the right answer is, but I gotta believe that it can't be good for them to be in a household where the husband doesn't treat his wife with respect. Kids learn from their parents' behavior. Don't you think?"

She nodded and said, "I guess, but how do I tell my kids that I kicked their dad out because he was cheating on me and that he tried to kill their uncle."

"You probably don't need to tell them all that. Maybe just tell them that you guys don't love each other anymore or that the marriage no longer works. I don't know," he said pulling her into a hug. "We'll figure it out together, OK?" She nodded and hugged him back.

Cici walked into the kitchen and saw the bags on the table and asked, "What's for lunch?"

"I got take out," answered her mom. CiCi smiled and began taking plates out of the cupboard. The boys came into the kitchen and the group sat down to eat lunch. As CiCi and the boys cleared the dishes, Ria and Spike left the kitchen.

"Mike, can you help me with something up stairs?" asked Ria.

"Sure," he responded following his sister up the stairs and into the master bedroom. When he entered the room, he saw several boxes and bags lined up on the floor.

His sister saw him staring at them and explained, "I couldn't sleep last night so I packed up Joe's things." Spike didn't say anything, he just looked at her. "I just want this over and him gone, but I know it's not that simple." Again Spike nodded without saying a word. I was thinking about renting a storage unit and moving his stuff in there? What do you think? That way he won't have a reason to come back here." Spike detected a sadness in her voice although she was trying to hide it.

"Guess that makes sense. You want me to take care of that for you?" he asked.

"Would you?" she asked with both pleading and gratitude in her voice.

"You bet," said Spike picking up a bag. As he turned to exit the room, he saw little Joey standing in the doorway.

"Mom, what is going on? Why did you pack up dad's stuff?" he asked, his eyes brimming with tears. "Are you getting divorced?"

Ria took a breath to steel herself to answer his question, "You know, sweetie, I am not sure exactly what is going to happen, but your dad and I are separating for now." Spike froze as he watched his sister explain the situation to her son.

"Why did you change the locks on the house? Did he hurt you?" asked the boy innocently.

Ria put her arm around her son and pulled him to sit next to her on the bed giving Spike a chance to sneak out of the room. She began the conversation, "Not exactly, but he did try to hurt someone I care about and he did make some bad decisions, one of which landed him in jail. You know how he can get really angry sometimes? My job is to keep you safe, so I asked Uncle Mike to change the locks." She took a minute to see if he was understanding her. She then continued, "I love you guys more than anything and I will do anything to take care of you." Joey looked at his hands which were in his lap and nodded solemnly.

"I know this hard, but can you promise me one thing?" she asked. He nodded again and she said, "If you have any questions, or are just feeling bad... come to me. We can talk about it and work through it together. I don't know how this is all going to play out, but we will figure it out, together."

"OK," he said as she wrapped him in a hug.

Spike and Ria spent the rest of the day moving most of Joe's things out of the house and into a rented storage unit. When the time approached for Ria to take CiCi to her guitar lesson, Spike drove the boys to Anisa's apartment. He opened the door and let the boys in who immediately followed their noses to the kitchen.

"Hi guys," said Anisa turning to hug the boys. Tommy jumped into her arms while Joey loosely hugged her waist. "Are you guys hungry?" she asked with a smile. Tommy slid out of her arms as he and his brother hollered that they were hungry. "OK, go wash up," she said ushering them out of the kitchen as Spike entered the kitchen.

"Mmmmm... smells good," he said slipping his arms around her waist and pulling her into a kiss. "So does dinner," teased Spike, "What are we having?"

"Wild mushroom risotto with sirloin tips and a Caesar salad and … tiramisu for dessert."

Spike's eyebrows shot up, "Seriously?" She nodded her head with a shy smile and sucked her lower lip into her mouth hoping for his approval. "Wow...those are some tough dishes."

"Jules and I took a cooking class today and this is what we made...I hope you like it."

"I am sure it will be delicious," he said kissing her. "Just like you," he murmured into her lips.

"Ewwww," the boys shouted in unison, pulling Spike and Anisa from their kiss causing both to chuckle.

"OK guys, go take a seat while I serve it up," announced Anisa.

Anisa waited anxiously as Spike put his first forkful of the risotto in his mouth. She looked hopefully at his face for any reaction. He swallowed the mouthful and turned to look at her.

"Wow! This is really good," he announced. Anisa smiled broadly then glanced a the boys. Tommy was still chewing his bite with a smile.

"This is better than Grandma's," he stated when he swallowed. Both Spike and Joey stared at the younger boy.

"Better not let her hear you say that," mumbled Joey.

"He may be right, though," agreed Spike. Joey nodded his head in concurrence. "But I think we should keep it a secret," added Spike, eliciting a chuckle from the group.

The group ate with jovial conversation about the trials and tribulations of various video games. In the midst of the chatter, Anisa felt her phone vibrate and checked the caller ID. It was a call from her partner, Ryan, so she declined the call with the intent of calling him back once the boys had left. After the dinner dishes had been removed, she served the tiramisu which also met with praise from the Scarlatti men. Anisa and Spike cleaned up the dishes while the boys watched a little television. As they were washing the dishes, Anisa's phone rang and it was again Ryan.

"Go ahead, answer it. Might be something important," said Spike.

Anisa nodded as she picked it up, "Hey, what's up?" Spike watched the expression on her face change as she leaned against the counter and reached a hand up to pinch the bridge of her nose. "Oh God," she muttered. "When?...Where?" He watched her nod her head as she listened intently to her partner. "OK..OK. I can be there in about an hour...OK, see ya."

"What's up?"

"They found another body. It has the earmarks of the same handiwork as guy in the case we have been working on," she explained just as her doorbell rang. Anisa shook her head in disgust as she left the kitchen to answer the door.

Ria and Cici walked into the apartment and greeted Anisa with hug. Seeing that CiCi had brought her guitar up, Anisa asked, "Hey, will play something for us? I would love to hear how the lessons are coming."

"OK," said CiCi as Anisa and the rest of her family seated themselves around the room. The girl pulled out her guitar and strummed it a few times before she started into an acoustic version of a melodic Melissa Ethridge song.

It was all Anisa could do to not start singing along with CiCi. Spike smirked at her, knowing she was working hard to hold back. When the song was over, the group all clapped for CiCi.

"Wow, you are so talented," exclaimed Anisa jumping up to give her another hug. "I can't wait to see you on the big stage one day."

Spike had risen also and wrapped the girl into a hug saying, "Awesome. Where did you get that talent?"

"Mom thinks I got it from my dad," said CiCi softly, obviously embarrassed by all of the attention.

"She may be right," said Spike with a gentle smile.

"OK, boys, it's time to go," announced Ria. The boys scampered around gathering their things and Anisa came out of the kitchen with some leftovers for Ria and CiCi.

"Here, we had some extra dinner...I hope you like it," she said handing the bag to Ria. "I am trying to improve my Italian cooking... for Mike," she admitted quietly.

Ria smiled and hugged her, "You are so sweet, I am sure it will be great. Thanks. And thank you for watching the boys tonight."

"It's always a pleasure...they are a joy," Anisa answered genuinely. The group said their goodbyes and Anisa leaned against her door after they left trying to muster the strength to head out to the crime scene. Spike walked up to her and touched her cheek gently, tilting her head up for a kiss.

"You going to be OK?" he asked.

"Yeah, just trying to change gears, you know. I had such a great evening with you and your family, now I get go see the gruesome side of life. Just want to savor the innocence for a moment more," she explained with a smile.

Spike smiled back at her and drew her into an embrace kissing her lovingly by her ear. He whispered, "I love you."

The warmth of his embrace felt safe, secure...like home. "I know, I love you, too," she whispered into his chest. They stood together and held each other until they both felt strong enough to continue. "I gotta go," she said in a husky voice and he took a step back from her. Anisa walked into the bedroom to get her shoes and a jacket. She returned to the living room where Spike was standing by the door with his hands in his pocket.

"Babe, I will be home very late. Maybe you should go to your parents' for the night," said Anisa feeling guilty about leaving him alone.

"Nah, they'll be asleep. Besides, I want to wake up to you," he said pulling her close again. She wrapped her arms around his torso breathing in his scent. She kissed him and smiled up into his eyes.

"OK. We can talk tomorrow about how your day went with Ria. Sound good?"

"Sounds perfect," he said as she opened the door. "Keep safe."

"I will," she said and closed the door so Spike was left alone in the apartment. He ran his hand through his hair as he pushed the worry away from his mind. He knew that she was only going to a crime scene and that she could take care of herself. He just wanted her safe at home with him.

* * *

**A/N:**Thanks for reading. I hope this wasn't too much emotion for you all.


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: ** Sorry for the delay in you to all those who have read and reviewed. I truly appreciate your time. This chapter is short and mostly filler but leads into Shockwave... Spoiler alert.

**Disclaimer:** I wish I owned Flashpoint...but I don't :(

* * *

**Knowing Where You Need To Be**

**Chapter 29**

Spike was awakened at 3:15AM by the sound of the shower. He got out of bed and slowly opened the door to the bathroom. Through the steam he saw Anisa standing under the stream of the shower with hands over her face. Her breathing was slow and steady which was good, he thought. It meant she wasn't crying. He studied her back, looking at the scar she had received the day her husband, Sean, died. He thought it unfair that one person should experience so much pain. When she turned to shut off the water, Spike stepped into the bathroom and grabbed a towel to hand to her. She looked up and saw him and took the towel from him silently, wrapping it around her body. As she stepped out of the shower, he embraced her, holding her close for a moment.

"You OK?" he asked softly.

She nodded her head, "Yeah. I just need a minute." She looked up into his eyes knowing he would understand. He nodded and went back to the bed.

About ten minutes later, Spike saw her form emerge from the bathroom, grab a T-shirt from a drawer and pull it over her head and climb into bed. Spike waited for Anisa to give him a signal about what she needed. She slid over to him and he immediately enveloped her in his arms. He held her close, rubbing her back soothingly while she buried her face in his chest and inhaled his scent. She felt safe and secure in his arms and her body began to relax into his.

When she felt strong enough to speak, she said, "It never ceases to amaze me the capacity we humans have to inflict pain and suffering on each other."

"I know, but remember that we also have an immense capacity to love one another," he said kissing her tenderly. "Don't forget that."

She wrapped her arms around him bringing her lips to his, kissing him passionately. She slid her hands up his bare back. She wanted to feel his body on hers...two living beings. She needed to feel alive.

* * *

They slept late on Sunday morning waking up sprawled across one another.

"Mmmm..." she mumbled, kissing his bare chest. Spike's mouth bent upwards into a grin revealing his dimples. Without opening his eyes, he wrapped his arms more closely around her holding her tight. She let out a soft giggle as he pulled her body on top of his. He ran his hands through her tousled hair, pulling her lips to his.

"This is how I like to wake up in the morning," he muttered into her lips. In one fluid motion he flipped them both over so he was now on top of her.

"Me, too," she said entwining her body with his.

* * *

Spike poured coffee as Anisa made breakfast. They sat down to eat their eggs in comfortable silence. Halfway through breakfast, Spike asked Anisa about the case.

"Man... this guy thinks he is Jack the Ripper or something. He cuts these girls from chest to abdomen and then guts them. It appears that he may have had sex with them before they died, but so far he has left no trace. This time, though he did leave two antique coins on the victim's eyes," she explained matter-of-factly. Spike made a face and pushed the remainder of his breakfast away from him. "Oh, sorry," apologized Anisa, realizing that she was talking about some gruesome things over food.

"So you don't have any leads?" asked Spike sipping his coffee.

"Not yet. The CSI's are doing their thing on this victim and the coins, so tomorrow we will be working to ID the coins and see if we can trace them back to an owner. If that doesn't yield something, I might just call my new friends at the BAU to see if they might be able to shed some light on the case," said Anisa finishing her eggs. Then changing the subject she asked, "How did it go at your sister's yesterday?"

"Not bad, got everything installed and working. I had to field a couple of questions about Ria and Joe, but I think I handled them OK," answered Spike. "Ria saved me from the really tough ones," he added.

They each poured another cup of coffee and chatted about Ria, Joe and the kids. They both agreed that Ria was right to be honest with Joey about what was going on. They were also both worried about what would happen when Joe made bail. Spike and Anisa enjoyed a leisurely day before heading to Spike's parents' house for the Sunday meal.

When they arrived at Spike's house, Ria and the kids were there already. Spikes' father was resting in his room. Spike could see the worry in his mother's eyes as she went into the kitchen to check on dinner.

"Hey Ma, how's he doing today?"

Shaking her head, she answered, "Ah, Mikey, not good. I worry about how he will take your sister's news about Joe. Do you think it will be too much for him?"

Remembering the conversation he and his father had had not long ago, Spike responded, "No, Ma. I think it may even be a relief to him. He mentioned that he had didn't like the way that Joe had been treating Ria, so maybe he'll see this as a blessing." His mother nodded as Spike pulled her into a hug.

"I hope so," she muttered, hugging him back.

Spike woke his father shortly before dinner and helped him into the living room where he was greeted with warm hugs from his family. It wasn't long before his eyes locked on his daughter questioningly. Spike read the signs, so he subtly ushered everyone into the dining room to set the table, giving his sister time to tell his father about Joe. When they joined everyone in the dining room for supper, both Ria and her father had a relieved smile on their face.

The evening passed with smiles and laughter. As it wound down, Mr. Scarlatti had a coughing fit and he retired to his room for the night. Spike and Ria helped him to his bedroom and made sure that he was safe and sound.

As they made their way back down the hallway, Ria turned to her brother with tear-filled eyes and said, "I don't think he has much longer, Mike."

Spike wrapped her in a hug and whispered in her ear, "No, I don't either." They just held each other for a moment.

"What do you think mom will do when he's gone?" asked Ria.

"I don't know. Maybe she will move. I can't imagine she will want to be alone in this big house," mentioned Spike. "Maybe she could move in with you...you know, help with the kids."

"Yeah, maybe," said Ria pondering the idea. "I guess I better get these kids home. They have school tomorrow."

"Hang on, I wanted to ask you about ...well.." stammered Spike, "... there is a good chance that Joe will make bail tomorrow and want to come home, even though the court has made him aware of the restraining order." He watched as his sister closed her eyes thinking about that. "I will come by after shift, but you might want to make yourself scarce the rest of the day since we don't know when he might get out."

"Yeah, OK. I don't want the kids to see an altercation if he does show up," she said with a bit of sadness in her voice.

"How about Anisa taking them out for dinner or ice cream or something?" suggested Spike.

"I guess that would be OK," she said as her mood continued to sag.

Spike nodded and lead her down the rest of the hallway into the living room where his mom was laughing with her grandchildren. He wandered into the kitchen and saw Anisa cleaning the dishes. He slid his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck causing her to giggle a little.

"Hey you," he said, "I have a favor to ask."

Anisa dried the last pan and wiped her hands before turning to face him. "Sure, babe, anything you need," she said leaning against the counter.

"Would you mind taking Ria's kids out to dinner tomorrow night? I was planning to go to her house after shift in case Joe shows up. She doesn't want the kids there if he does."

"Absolutely, you know that," she said.

He drew her into a hug and whispered into her lips, "I know. I love you."

* * *

Spike's Monday was unusually slow ...even for a Monday. He had heard through the police grapevine (and a little help from Winnie) that Joe had made bail and was released at about 4:00 in the afternoon. Spike and Anisa pulled up to Ria's house at nearly the same time. Anisa and all three kids left for dinner, planning to go to Spike's favorite pizza place.

Spike asked Ria if she had heard from Joe. She shook her head with a look that indicated the strain she was under. He went into the kitchen and began to make them dinner. While it was cooking he went into the family room and found his sister with head in her hands weeping softly. He sat next to her and put his arm around her pulling her close.

"I never thought my life would turn out this way," she sobbed. "Over forty, single with three kids."

"Hey, I know it's hard, but you can't look at it like that," he soothed. "This is an opportunity...a new beginning. Who knows, maybe you will eventually meet a guy who treats you the way you deserve to be treated." She began to calm down just as dinner was ready. Spike served it up and was about to sit down when the doorbell rang. Ria gave Spike a panicked look. He gave her a reassuring nod and went to answer the door. Spike was not surprised to see Joe standing on the doorstep. He opened the door and stood his ground.

"You are not supposed to be here," stated Spike.

"So I hear. Can I talk to Ria?" said Joe gruffly.

"No," said Spike authoritatively.

"She is my wife."

"And she has a restraining order on you," Spike pointed out.

"Where am I supposed to go?" asked Joe.

"You'll figure something out."

"Can I at least get some things?" asked Joe taking a step closer in an attempt to be intimidating.

Spike in turn took a step toward him closing the door behind him. He held out a key and said, "Your things have been moved to a storage unit."

"Are you serious?"

"Completely."

"OK, I get the message...you can drop the act now so we can all get back to normal," said Joe trying to make light of the situation and act as if it were all just a big practical joke.

"You should go now," stated Spike.

"You are serious, aren't you?" asked Joe. Spike crossed his arms across his chest and nodded. "So are you going to press charges?"

"I plan to," answered Spike. "Unless you walk away and make this divorce easy on my sister. If you do that, I may drop the charges. Just so you know, you could do some serious time for assaulting an officer with a deadly weapon."

Joe stared at Spike as if he were trying to assess his situation and weigh his options. Finally, he nodded his head, turned and walked off the porch toward his car. His look seemed defeated. After Joe had driven away, Spike walked back into the house and locked the door. Ria sat paralyzed at the kitchen table, her eyes wide as saucers.

"It's OK, he's gone. I gave him the key to the storage unit," explained Spike. "I think he is finally comprehending his situation." Spike sat down and began to eat keeping an eye on his sister who was playing with her food. When he was finished, Spike stood to clear the dishes, but Ria waved him away saying that since he cooked she would clean. This caused him to smile because that was the arrangement the he and Anisa had. As if on cue, his phone buzzed with a message from Anisa.

"_**How's it going?" **_asked Anisa.

"_**Good. Joe stopped by but didn't stay long. Ria is kind of shaky though."**_

"_**Why don't you stay there tonight? I am sure she would feel better with you there and it'll put your mind at ease, too," **_Anisa suggested.

Spike paused a moment thinking about what Anisa had suggested. It did seem like a good idea. _**"Are you sure you wouldn't mind?"**_

"_**No, babe. I think she needs you there tonight."**_

"_**OK. I'll ask her. You guys heading home?" **_ Spike asked.

"_**Yep. Getting in the car now. I'll stop at home and grab some things for you. See you soon." **_

He walked into the kitchen as his sister was drying the last pan. "Hey, Ri, how about I stay here tonight? I am pretty sure that Joe won't be coming back, but just to be on the safe side."

She looked at her brother and nodded weakly. "Yeah... that would be good," she muttered.

"Anisa just texted that she and the kids are on their way home," he reported. He placed his arm around her shoulders and guided her to the sofa. They sat down and he asked her to tell him what the attorney had said. She gave him the details saying that if Joe did not contest the divorce, it could be settled in 6 months. If he fought it, this could drag on for months or years and that could be devastating for the kids.

"Joe wouldn't want to put them through that, would he?" asked Spike.

Ria sighed, "No, I don't think so. He's a good dad. Just because he doesn't love me, doesn't mean he doesn't love the kids. I guess we will just have to wait and see. My attorney will serve him the papers tomorrow and then …."

The door opened and Cici walked in with Joey while Anisa carried Tommy in. "He fell asleep in the car on the way home," explained Anisa referring to the sleepy-eyed boy in her arms. Ria walked over to Anisa, taking the boy from her arms. She carried the toddler up to his bedroom to get him ready for bed.

Anisa said to Spike, "So are you going to stay here tonight?"

"Yeah, as long as you are good with it."

She kissed him sweetly, "Yep. I have a bunch of work to do anyway."

Joey's eyes lit up. "Are you gonna sleep over, Uncle Mike?"

"Yeah, buddy. Would that be OK?"

"You bet! That would be awesome," said Joey jumping up and down then hugging his uncle.

* * *

Spike woke up wedged between two young boys. He couldn't help but smile and think that this was his second favorite way to wake up. A few moments later the door opened and his sister poked her head in. She grinned at the sight of her sons, in their superman and batman pajamas, curled up next to her brother. She walked over to the side of the bed and picked up Tommy then nudged Joey telling him it was time to get ready for school.

Ria was making coffee and breakfast when Spike walked into the kitchen.

"Sorry about the boys," said Ria. "I hope you were able to get some sleep."

Pouring two cups of coffee, Spike said with a grin, "It was kinda nice. Besides I would have been lonely in that bed by myself."

"Ahh.. getting used to having a warm body next to you?" she teased her brother. He just smirked and turned away. "When are you gonna make it official with Anisa?" she asked.

"Soon...she's not ready yet." he muttered.

"How do you know if you don't ask her?" she persisted.

"Because she told me," he said in a tone that said DO NOT ASK ANYTHING ELSE!

"OK," she muttered as CiCi entered the kitchen.

"Hey ,Uncle Mike. Can you drive me to school?" said his niece.

"Cici...your uncle has to get to work," said her mother.

"Ria, it's OK. I can take the kids to school. I am working a later shift today. I don't need to be in until 2:00 this afternoon," said Spike.

"Yes!" CiCi whispered with a little fist pump.

Spike nudged his sister and said quietly, "Hey, I guess I get to be the 'cool uncle' for a change." Ria chuckled at his comment.

Spike dropped Joey off at school, then CiCi and then headed to his parent's house. His mother had called because she had been worried about how his father had been breathing. When Spike arrived he saw that his dad was definitely having difficulty catching his breath. He drove them to the hospital just to have him checked out.

Spike and his father sat in his hospital room discussing the Juventus game.

"It's about knowing where you need to be. If you take chances, everyone ends up paying. You...you...you...", his father said just as he broke into a coughing fit. Spike jumped up to fetch the nurse.

Shortly, Spike was telling his mom that his dad was resting and that he would be able to go home that evening. He saw relief in her face at the news. He had to head off to work so he promised to call her after shift.

They had a bomb call at Fairbanks Towers downtown and Spike and Raf rode together to the designated location. Spike always liked riding with Raf...he liked his sense of humor. They entered the building with Babycakes and Spike beamed like a proud father as he talked about the new explosives detector he had installed. They had just located the bomb when Sam mentioned he had found it on the other side of the hallway. Before Spike had a chance to even start to defuse the bomb, there were two explosions.

* * *

A/N: I hope you like this little ditty. I promise that the next chapter will be up more quickly. Thanks for sticking with me.


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: ** Sorry for the delay in posting. This chapter details what may have been happening at the hospital during Shockwave. Spoiler alert for Shockwave – AU since in my story, Spike has a sister, she and her children will be part of this eppy.

Also, I don't speak Italian, so bear with my translation.

**Disclaimer:** I wish I owned Flashpoint...but I don't :(

**Knowing Where You Need To Be**

**Chapter 30**

* * *

Anisa rose early Tuesday morning, had a quick run and then headed to work. She and Ryan had narrowed the search for the dealer of the coins down to two in Toronto. They went to talk to the store owners and in a matter of 2 hours they had identified the coins and possible purchaser(s). They spent the remainder of the afternoon tracking down 2 of the 4 purchasers. It was about 6:00 and they were heading back to HQ, intending to follow-up on the other two leads tomorrow. They heard on the radio that there was an explosion downtown at the Fairbanks Towers and that the SRU were on the scene. Anisa inhaled slowly and Ryan reached across the car giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

Her phone buzzed and she glanced at the caller ID...it was Spike's mother. Her heart skipped a beat before she answered it.

"Hello, Mrs. Scarlatti," Anisa said calmly, not sure what to expect.

"Oh Anisa, my dear. I called Michelangelo, but he did not answer. Do you know where he is?"

"Um...I think he is on a call," she answered honestly. "Is everything alright?"

"No," she said clearly distraught. "It's Papa, he is in the hospital and was supposed to be released to come home this evening, but he has taken a turn for the worse...I don't know what to do."

"I'm on my way," announced Anisa. "Have you gotten in touch with Ria?"

"No, she hasn't picked up her phone," said Mrs. Scarlatti.

"OK, keep trying to reach her. I should be there in about 10 minutes," directed Anisa. "Mrs. Scarlatti, take a few deep breaths and try to remain calm, OK?"

"Yes...yes," said the older woman trying to heed Anisa's advice as she hung up.

Ryan glanced at his partner and she told him to take her to the hospital as she texted Winnie.

Anisa: _**"Spike is in the building isn't he?"**_

Winnie: _**"Yes."**_

Anisa:_** "Do you know if he is OK?"**_

Winnie: _**"He is working to defuse a bomb while they evacuate the civilians through an escape hole."**_

Anisa: _**"Is there a timer on the bomb?"**_

Winnie: _**"He is working under a time constraint."**_

Anisa knew better than to ask anything else. _**"Thanks. Have him call me when he can."**_

"_**Will do."**_

As Ryan pulled up to the hospital, he asked, "Do you want me to come in with you?"

"No," she said shaking her head. "I'll call you if I need you, I promise."

Ryan reached over and pulled her into a hug, and said, "Spike is the best and he will be OK."

"I know," she said softly. "I'll keep you posted," she said as she got out of the car and walked into the hospital.

She said a quick prayer for both Spike and his dad as she took the elevator up to the third floor. Anisa quickly found Mr. Scarlatti's room with his wife sitting in a chair knitting her hands anxiously while he appeared to be sleeping. Anisa took a deep breath before opening the door, drawing the older woman's attention. Anisa glanced at the television and saw that it was off ...she was thankful for that. Mrs. Scarlatti stood and approached Anisa who embraced her.

"He has a clot and it has moved to his heart," sobbed the older woman. "They don't think he will make it through the night." She was shaking with grief …. Anisa didn't know what to say so she just held her tight. They were standing that way when Ria swung the door to the room open.

"Ma, what's going on? How's dad?" she asked with desperation in her voice. Her three children followed her into the room.

Anisa released Spike's mother, walked over to the kids and guided them out of the room and down the hall. She felt that it would be best for them to not hear the details about their grandfather's condition.

* * *

Spike shook off the rubble and heard Greg's voice calling to him and the rest of the team. He found Raf a few feet away but he as alright.

"Boss, it's Spike. Raf and I... we are OK," he informed Parker.

He stood up and assessed the damage while Raf went in search of Sam. As he examined the area that had been closed off by the two explosions, Spike discovered a third bomb. This bomb was mammoth in size and full of counter measures. It was set to go off in minutes. He managed to delay the fuse for approximately 40 minutes. His cell phone rang and he saw the caller ID was his mother.

"Not now, Ma," he mumbled as he declined the call putting his phone back in his pocket.

Sam had come to and had a slight head wound. A plan to evacuate the civilians through a ventilation hole was put in place, but they were cutting it close on time. Spike pulled the cover off the bomb and, once he got a look at the real bomb, he was amazed at its complexity...it really was a thing of beauty. As the members of Team One were loading the civilians into a harness to be pulled to safety, Spike was attempting to find the code for the key pad on the bomb. His cell phone rang again, and again it was his mother.

"Ma, you can't call..." started Spike but then stopped as he listened to his mother. "What do you mean? A clot? No he was suppose to go home today." he repeated. Greg heard the worry in the young man's voice and tried to get him to focus on the job at hand. "Ma, I can't... yeah...yeah...OK...as soon as I can," Spike said to his mother before hanging up.

He explained the situation to Raf but then went back to work on the bomb.

"You gotta know where you're supposed to be," he repeated to himself.

* * *

Anisa sat in the waiting area with Ria's children trying to entertain the boys. She glanced at CiCi who was watching the TV that was tuned to the news. The girl was old enough to know what was going on with her grandfather and what was playing on the news. When the boys were occupied with an app on Anisa's phone, she turned to the girl and asked, "You doing alright?"

Without taking her eyes off of the television, she asked quietly, "Is Uncle Mike in there?" Anisa nodded her head indicating the building being shown on the TV.

"Yeah, I think so," answered Anisa. She watched the teenager squeeze her eyes shut as if to shut out the thought that she may lose both her grandfather and her uncle in the same day. Anisa moved closer and wrapped her arm around the girl and whispered, "He's going to be OK."

"You don't know that," said the younger girl.

"No, I don't..." said Anisa, "...but I believe it." And she did.

She knew that CiCi was weathering the turmoil in her life better than the average teenager, but it had to be hard on her. Anisa tightened her hold on the girl.

Shortly, Mrs. Scarlatti appeared near the entrance to the waiting room. She had calmed a bit and smiled when she saw her grandchildren.

Tommy hopped up and exclaimed, "Nonna," as he hugged her. She hugged him back, broadening the smile on her face. The other two children also came over to hug her.

"I love you all so much," she said squeezing them tight. "Nonno has woken up and he wants to talk to you, but he is very weak, OK?" As if even the youngest of them knew what was imminent, they all nodded their heads solemnly.

Mrs. Scarlatti led the group down the hallway to her husband's room. While she was gone, Anisa asked if they could change the channel on the television to a sports channel...something other than news. When Mrs. Scarlatti returned to the waiting area, Anisa was staring at her phone lost in thought. The older woman placed her hand over Anisa's drawing her gaze away from the phone. Anisa thought it must be awful waiting for the one you love to die and not being able to do anything about it. The deaths of her own parents and husband had been tragic, but also sudden and unexpected.

"So he's awake...that must be good, right?" asked Anisa softly.

Nodding her head, Mrs. Scarlatti answered, "Yes, I suppose. I wish Michelangelo would get here."

"He will be here as soon as he can."

The two women sat together silently, holding each others' hands for support. It wasn't long before Ria returned to the waiting room with her children.

Ria smiled warmly at Anisa and said, "He wants to talk to you."

Anisa raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Me?" she questioned. Ria nodded as Anisa stood tentatively and walked down the hall.

When she reached his room, she slowly opened the door and saw Mr. Scarlatti's face turn toward her. He managed a weak smile as she entered the room and walked to the side of the bed. He feebly tried to lift his hand, so she took it in hers.

"How are you feeling, Mr. Scarlatti?" she asked.

In a raspy voice he said, "Anisette, call me Papa, everybody does."

"OK, Papa, how are you?"

"I thought I was ready for this, but now I am not sure," he said. "I keep thinking of all that I will miss."

She looked into his eyes which were watery with age and infirmity, "You will always be with us in our hearts," she said.

"Will you promise me something?" he asked. He continued after she nodded her head in affirmation, "It is my dying wish for you and my son to marry. Will you promise me that you will?"

Anisa swallowed hard and nodded her head, uncertain that she could speak. When she finally found her voice it came out as a squeak as she said, "I promise."

He tried to reach his hand up to touch hers, but he was too weak so Anisa grasped his hand in hers. "Ti voglio bene...sei come un figlio per me*. I am glad you are part of this family," he managed to whisper.

She wasn't exactly sure what he had said, but she had learned enough Italian to know that 'Ti voglio' meant 'I love you'. Anisa brought his hand to her lips kissing his fingertips. They felt cold...too cold...and the tears that she had been managing to keep at bay began to flow.

"I love you, too, Papa," she whispered through tears. She did love him. He squeezed her hand gently as if to signify it was OK.

Mrs. Scarlatti slowly entered the room and Anisa released his hand to wipe the tears from her face. The older woman kissed her cheek and hugged her. After a moment the women separated and Anisa inhaled deeply attempting to regain her composure. She left the room allowing the husband and wife some time alone. She composed herself in the hallway knowing that she needed to be strong for this family who had welcomed her with open arms. When she returned to the waiting room, she saw Ria with Tommy in her arms and Joey and CiCi sitting on either side of her.

After a few minutes, Ria looked at Anisa with sadness and pleading in her eyes. Anisa rose and walked over to Spike's sister. She reached for the boy in her arms and Ria handed him over gently. She smiled at Anisa and walked back down the hallway to her father's room.

* * *

Jules and Greg narrowed the subject list to one disgruntled former employee and sent the picture to the rest of the team. It turns out that the subject, Alexi Kiniski, was in the building with them the whole time. The subject was helping Team One keep the civilians safe and evacuate them. He even volunteered to be the last one out. When they lifted the final civilian out of the building, Sam, Raf and Spike confronted the subject. They tried to convince him to help defuse the bomb. He refused.

Raf was the first of Team One to be lifted out after the civilians, leaving Sam and Spike with Kiniski. Finally, as Sam ascended through the hole he told Spike that he was next. Spike nodded and turned to Kiniski.

Kiniski and Spike shared stories of their first explosions and experience building bombs. After complimenting Kiniski on the beautiful bomb he created, Spike buckled himself into the harness to be lifted out. Kiniski asked about his dad and they talked about how their parent's had inspired them. For Kiniski, it was his mother. At the mention of her name, Galina, Spike stopped what he was doing, unhooked the harness and ran back to the bomb. He knew "Galina" was the code for the bomb...it was alpha-numeric. It came down to the wire and in the end Kiniski helped Spike with the code and the bomb was defused.

Spike was the last man out and was greeted with relieved hugs from his team. Finally he looked at Greg and said, "I gotta go." Greg nodded and Spike took off running to the truck and got to the hospital as fast as he could. As he started the truck, he texted Anisa, "I'm OK."

He pulled into the parking space at the hospital and threw the truck in park. He tore off all of his gear, leaving him in just his t-shirt and pants. He ran into the hospital and up to his father's floor. He saw Anisa in the waiting room with a sleeping Tommy in her arms.

Joey saw his uncle and jumped up from his seat and exclaimed, "Uncle Mike." The boy ran to embrace his uncle, as CiCi also rose to hug Spike.

"Hey guys," said Spike giving his niece and nephew a quick squeeze while he glanced toward Anisa. As she stood to approach him, still with the child in her arms, he noticed that her eyes were swollen and red. She reached out one arm and wrapped it around his waist. Releasing his niece and nephew, Spike wrapped his arm around around Anisa. He kissed her forehead, as she bit her lip. She looked into his eyes and nodded her head towards his father's room. He understood the message, so he nodded and jogged down the hall to his father's room. He opened the door and saw his mother and sister standing near his father's bed.

"Mikey, thank God," said his mom rushing over to her son and taking his face in her hands kissing his cheek. He rushed to his father's bed.

"Hey Pa," he said as he took his father's hand in his.

"Did you see Juventas scored 4 times?" mumbled his dad.

"Yeah, you gotta risk something," answered Spike.

"I'm scared," muttered his dad.

"It's OK... I'm here, we're all here."

* * *

*Ti voglio bene...sei come un figlio per me' - I love you like my own child

**A/N:** I hope you liked my interpretation of what might have happened during the Shockwave episode.

The next chapter will outline the days following the death of Spike's father. Thanks for sticking with me.


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: ** Sorry for the delay in posting. This chapter details what may have happened in the days after Spike's dad died.

**Disclaimer:** I wish I owned Flashpoint...but I don't :(

* * *

**Knowing Where You Need To Be**

**Chapter 31**

When they emerged from the hospital room some time later, Spike had his arm around both his mother and his sister. Their faces were red and puffy from crying although they were no longer weeping. By this time, both Joey and Tommy were asleep, one on Anisa's lap and one nestled against her side. CiCi's eyes opened when she saw the three adults approach the waiting area.

"_Typical,"_ thought Anisa, _"Mike is taking care of those who need him."_

CiCi went to her mother and asked, "Is he..." Ria simply nodded and embraced her daughter as tears trickled down the girl's face.

Spike drove his mother home and Anisa drove Ria and her family in Ria's car to the Scarlatti house. When the group arrived, Ria and Mrs. Scarlatti immediately went into the kitchen and began cooking. Anisa went to help because in her mind, they should not be doing anything. Spike stopped her, knowing what she was thinking.

"It's OK. Let them cook...They're Italian. It's what they do," he explained.

Anisa nodded and looked at Ria's children. Little Tommy had positioned himself next to Spike's leg and Joey was standing on his other side. CiCi had disappeared upstairs. Spike picked Tommy up and carried him over to the sofa. Sitting down, Spike placed the tot on his lap and patted the seat next to him for Joey down. Spike leaned his head back against the back of the sofa has he held his nephews close. He couldn't remember ever feeling this tired.

Anisa quietly made her way upstairs to check on CiCi. When she entered the room that had obviously belonged to Ria when she was a child, she saw the girl putting sheets on the double bed. Anisa walked over and began helping her without saying a word. When they had finished the task, CiCi sat on the bed and Anisa took a seat next to her.

"You OK?" asked Anisa placing her hand on the girl's.

CiCi managed a weak smile and nodded, saying, "Yeah, I guess so. I probably shouldn't say this, but I hated seeing Nonno getting sicker and sicker." As soon as the words were out of her mouth she panicked, "That's not what I mean...I don't mean that I am glad he is...gone. I...just..."

Anisa placed her arm around the girl's shoulder, pulling her close and said, "It's OK. I understand what you mean. We all hate to see those we love suffer. There is nothing worse than seeing someone we love in pain and not be able to do anything about it." She inhaled deeply, trying to push back her memories.

"Were you parents sick for a while?" asked CiCi innocently knowing that Anisa's parents were no longer alive.

"Ummm...no. They died in a plane crash," she said honestly, feeling relieved that at least they hadn't suffered for a long time. Anisa blinked heavily again as she remembered the look of anguish in Sean's eyes as he died in her arms. Before she felt compelled to give anymore information to the young girl, she heard Ria announce that the food was ready. Anisa gave her shoulder another squeeze as they rose to go back downstairs.

The group ate in somber silence. When they had finished, Anisa cleared the dishes as the others went about other duties. Ria was thankful that they had each kept some clothes in the house for 'special' family sleep-overs. She helped her children get ready for bed. Spike gave his mother the sedative the doctor had given her and got her settled into bed.

While Anisa was cleaning the dishes, she called Ryan to tell him the news. He told her not to worry about anything and take as much time as she needed. She promised to call him tomorrow. Spike took the opportunity to call Greg and inform him of the situation. Greg promised to tell the rest of the team and told Spike to call if he needed anything. Anisa dried her hands and entered the family room where she found Spike standing by himself looking at all of the things in the room as if they provided a history of his life. There were pictures of him and Ria at various stages of their lives. There were knick-knacks that his parents had collected over the years. He noticed some momentos that his parents had brought with them from Italy, each with it's own story. She stood in the doorway not sure what to do. She didn't want to interrupt this private moment.

"You know, this little cross came from the Vatican," he said picking up an ornate, hand-painted cross. He turned to look at her as she crossed the room to him. "They visited there on their honeymoon," he reminisced. "Haha, who goes to the Vatican for their honeymoon?" he asked rhetorically.

"It's beautiful," Anisa commented.

He carefully placed the cross back on the shelf, and said, "Yeah, I guess it is. I never really thought about it before, but it is kinda pretty." She looked into his eyes and saw utter exhaustion.

"You need some rest," she said leading him toward the couch. "And I should probably get home," she said forgetting that her car was still at the police station.

He stopped and looked her in the eyes and said, "No, please stay."

She saw the pleading in his eyes. "But there is no room and I don't want to intrude."

Spike grinned ever-so-slightly and said, "There is no room for me either. CiCi and Ria are in her old room and the boys are in my room. I'm gonna sleep on the couch." He sat down gently pulling her to sit next to him. "Besides, I need you here with me tonight," he said sliding his hand around her slender neck. He pulled her close enough for him to kiss her cheek near her ear and whispered, "Please."

"OK," she muttered leaning her head into his shoulder. They sat like that for what may have been an hour or maybe just five minutes. Finally, she pulled back and excused herself to the bathroom. As she made her way down the hall to the bathroom, she noticed a pair women's sweatpants and a pink t-shirt neatly folded and sitting on the railing. She smiled assuming that Ria had placed them there for her. When she returned to the family room wearing Ria's clothes, that were clearly too big for her, she saw Spike fast asleep on the couch. She took the blanket and covered him, careful not to wake him. She curled up on the loveseat adjacent to him and tried to fall asleep. She was emotionally exhausted, as well, and was soon sleeping.

Her eyes fluttered open when she felt something touch her hand which was dangling off of the loveseat. When Spike saw her eyes open, he gave her hand a gently tug as if he were trying to pull her toward him.

"Come here," he said softly as he slid back against the back of the sofa.

He removed the cushions from the back of the couch giving them about 6 more inches. Anisa rose and laid down next to him with her back against his chest. He covered both of them with the blanket as he wrapped his arms around her. He slid his right hand under her shirt so he could feel the softness of her skin. It came to rest upon her abdomen. He gently rubbed his thumb on her flat belly as he thought about how, just over a week ago, his baby was alive in there. Now the baby was gone and his father was gone. He buried his face in her hair, as he pulled her closer to him, trying desperately not cry. He took a deep breath trying to let it out slowly and evenly. He took another breath and tried to even out his breathing again.

This time, Anisa turned in his arms until her face was touching his. She kissed the side of his face and whispered, "I love you." Then, looking into his eyes, she said, "It's OK." She reached her arms around his neck and pulled his head down to her shoulder holding him close. They wept softly together until they were both completely spent.

* * *

The aroma of coffee pulled Spike from his slumber, albeit slowly. He opened his eyes slowly trying to get his bearings. He realized that he had wrapped Anisa tightly in his arms and that sometime during the night she had turned back onto her a few minutes he just laid there holding Anisa. He was amazed at how quietly she slept. Even her breathing was virtually inaudible. He had never slept with someone who was so quiet and still when she slept. Once she was asleep, she never moved, unless she had a nightmare. Spike held her tight, like she was his anchor.

Soon he heard the sounds of his mother in the kitchen making breakfast. Anisa heard the same sounds and started to move, nestling closer against his chest. Her eyes opened slowly and she took in her surroundings. Suddenly, she sat upright grabbing the blanket to cover herself before she realized she was fully clothed.

"Oh my gosh, Mike, is that your mother in the kitchen?"

Rubbing the the sleep from his eyes, Spike said, "I don't know, I guess so. Why?"

Anisa was mortified. "She walked right through here to get into the kitchen. I can't believe she saw us …sleeping... together..."

Spike smiled at her as he pulled her into a hug. "Babe, relax...we were actually only SLEEPING. Not a big deal. I promise, she will still love you."Ke knew how modest she was and respectful of his Catholic parents. He kissed her tenderly. "Let's get some coffee."

Anisa took a deep breath, remembering the events of the previous day, she realized and grabbed his arm before he could stand up. "Wait," she said softly taking his face in her hands looking deeply into his eyes. "Are you doing OK?" she asked.

He blinked slowly offering a weak smile. "Yeah," he answered kissing her chastely.

They rose together and went to the kitchen and saw Spike's mom standing over the stove making pancakes and bacon. Her eyes were puffy and bloodshot from tears and lack of sleep. Spike gently placed an arm around her shoulder and a kiss on her head.

"Bongiorno, Mamma," he said.

"Bongiorno," she answered managing a shaky smile.

Anisa poured two cups of coffee handing one to Spike. She looked out the window thinking about what a sweet neighborhood this was. Each house was quaintly unique with well kept gardens and children preparing for school. This had been a great place for Spike to grow up. It seemed there was love and friendship all around.

"Michelangelo, can you go wake up your sister and the children?" asked Mrs. Scarlatti.

"Sure," he said and exited the kitchen.

Anisa approached Spike's mom and said, "Can I help with anything?"

Mrs. Scarlatti turned to Anisa, tears brimming her eyes, and took Anisa's hands in hers, "I am glad you are here. Michelangelo needs you …. he needed you last night."

Anisa didn't know what to say so she simply nodded her head and said, "Thank you."

The group ate breakfast with some quiet chatter. Anisa and CiCi cleaned up after breakfast while the elder Scarlattis discussed the plan for the day. It was decided that Spike, his mom and his sister would go about making the arrangements for the the funeral and burial, while Anisa stayed back at the house with the kids. While the rest of the family was getting dressed, Anisa checked her phone for messages. She saw that she had a couple of texts from Ryan explaining that he and his wife Melanie had picked up her car, and gone to her apartment for some clothes and essentials. They then left the car parked in front of Spike's house and the keys under the mat. Anisa went to the window and sure enough there was her car. She went out and retrieved the items that her partner and Mel had packed for her. She also noticed a bag on the front seat. Carrying the items inside, she peeked in the bag and what she found brought a big grin to her face. Mel had included a large container of her homemade brownies and cookies. Mel was a phenomenal baker.

Once inside, she unzipped the bag they had packed for her and found a note from Mel:

_Nis- _

_Wasn't sure what you needed, but this should do for the near future. Don't worry I didn't let Ryan rifle through your delicates ;)._

_Grabbed some clothes for Spike, too...just in case._

_Call if you need anything._

_Love you bunches,_

_Mel _

Anisa grabbed some clothes and made her way to the bathroom after depositing the baked goods in the kitchen. Shortly, Spike, his mom and his sister headed out to take care of the planning for the senior Scarlatti's funeral. In the meantime, Anisa and the kids did some chores around the house, preparing for what was sure to be an influx of visitors.

The doorbell rang for the first time around noon. It was a neighbor who had just heard the news about Dominic Scarlatti's passing. She hugged Anisa and handed her a freshly baked cake. Several other neighbors stopped to offer condolences and bringing dinners and baked goods. Late afternoon, the doorbell rang again and Anisa rose, assuming it was another friend offering condolences. She opened the door and was face-to-face with Joe.

"Hello, Joe," said Anisa putting on her best police voice.

"Uhh...Hello, Anisa. Is Ria here? I just want to tell her how sorry I am...about her dad... and everything," he said earnestly.

"No, she is out taking care of some things. You are not supposed to see her," said Anisa trying to sound stern, but softening a bit as she saw the anguish in his eyes.

Hanging his head, he said "I know." He handed her the envelop that he had been holding and said, "Could you give this to her, please?" She took the envelop and nodded to him. Joe put his hands in his pockets and looked up at her sheepishly. "Listen, Anisa, I … I screwed up. I admit it. I blew it with Ria. I know that now. I just wanted to apologize to her and tell her that I got the papers and my lawyer is looking at them. I don't want to cause any trouble, guess I just want her to know that I'm sorry for...being me." He took a break before he continued, "I owe you an apology, too. I was a complete jerk and ...I … I have no excuse. I am sorry."

Anisa smiled a little at the confession and said, "Thanks, Joe. I appreciate that."

At that precise moment, CiCi went to the door to see what was keeping Anisa. Seeing her father, her face lit up and she exclaimed, "Dad!"

She ran past Anisa, outside and embraced her father who hugged her close. "Hi baby!" he said kissing the top of her head. "I love you, so much."

Anisa saw the raw, honest emotion in Joe's eyes and recalled something her father had told her, "Every human has many dimensions and there is good in all of us, just as there is bad." As she watched the teenager and her father chat, Anisa went inside to get the boys. They came barreling out of the house as soon as they heard that there dad was there to see them. Anisa took a seat on the front door stoop, watching Joe play and interact with his kids. She was hoping that she was doing the right thing by allowing him to visit with the kids. All four of them seemed so happy and, for the moment, carefree. She had a brief pang of longing for that special bond between a parent and a child. She took a deep breath and reminded herself that her time would come.

After about an hour of catching up with his kids, Joe glanced at Anisa and offered a grateful smile. He hugged and kissed his kids goodbye and thanked Anisa for her time, then quietly walked to his car. Anisa herded the children back inside since it was getting a bit chilly. She and CiCi went to the kitchen to pick a casserole for to prepare for dinner while the boys sat in Spike's room playing video games. The girls decided on a chicken noodle casserole and a salad. Anisa's phone rang as she was about to wash the lettuce for the salad. Seeing the caller ID show Ryan's name, Anisa glanced at CiCi who said, "Go ahead, take it. I've got this."

Anisa smiled at the girl and stepped out the back door to take the call. She told Ryan that Spike had been out all day making arrangements with his mother and sister. She also thanked him for bringing her car and clothes to the house. She then asked about the case they had been working on.

"We are close. I talked to the other two other guys who bought the coins. One of them was an older man and he was so proud of the coins that he wanted to show me his whole collection. Interestingly enough, when he pulled out the collection, guess what was missing...the coins we were looking for," explained Ryan. He continued, "I don't think he is our guy, he is in his seventies and frail. I don't think he could physically do the crime. Tomorrow we are going to follow-up with his family members."

"What do we know about the family?" asked Anisa switching to detective mode.

"Hey...you are doing what you need to do. I got this," said Ryan, trying to reassure her.

"Ry, you may be right, but I...I don't know. I want to help," she muttered. "I feel kind of like a third wheel around here," she confessed.

"I knew that you would say that so I sent you a file with what we know," he said smirking to himself.

"Shoot, I don't have my computer," she said.

"Look in your trunk," he said.

Grinning she said, "You rock. Thanks buddy."

"No prob. Tell Spike to hang in there and I'll talk to you tomorrow," said Ryan hanging up.

Anisa retrieved her computer from the car and returned to the kitchen to help with dinner. Shortly, the back door opened and Mrs. Scarlatti walked in followed by Ria and Spike. They all looked exhausted, but put on a smile when the came into the kitchen. Spike entered the dining room and smiled when he saw Anisa and CiCi setting the table.

"Hey," said Anisa as she looked up at him standing in the doorway.

"Hey," he said stepping inside the room and walking toward her. CiCi took the cue and went to help in the kitchen. Anisa slid her arm around his waist as he wrapped his arms around her back.

"How'd it go?" she asked looking to his eyes for a clue.

Kissing her forehead, he said, "Long...tiring." The exhaustion was evident in his voice. She held him closer and tilted her head up to his. He brought his lips to hers lovingly.

"I love you, more than anything," she murmured as the kiss ended. This brought a slight smile to his face as he kissed her again. The kiss ended at the sound of two boys yelling "Ewwwww," from the steps. The boys ran to their uncle and wrapped their arms around him as Anisa retreated to the kitchen to get dinner on the table.

Dinner was again subdued, without laughter and idle chatter. When the group was nearly finished, CiCi mentioned that her father had stopped by. Spike jerked his head up from his plate at the mention of Joe's name. Anisa hopped out of her seat, retrieved the envelope and handed it to Ria. When she returned, CiCi was telling the group how they had spent nearly an hour visiting with their father.

"He was here?!" asked Spike glaring peculiarly at Anisa.

"Yes," answered Anisa calmly.

"You let him in the house?"

"No, they visited outside. The kids were happy to see their dad. He just came by to offer condolences," she answered, suddenly feeling defensive.

"Can I talk to you in the kitchen?" he demanded more than asked as he stood up, not taking his eyes off of Anisa.

"Sure," she said following him and closing the door behind her.

"Seriously? What were you thinking... talking to him at all?" barked Spike.

"He seemed remorseful..." she started before Spike interrupted her.

"He's dangerous. He could have hurt you or the kids, or taken them. You shouldn't have even opened the door for him...I don't want you to have anymore interaction with him do you understand me?! It is for your own good!" Spike was irate, pacing in the kitchen. He couldn't believed that she could be so careless, thoughtless. _"Didn't she understand that he could have killed her?" _he wondered_._

As he uttered the last sentence, Anisa could feel her own ire rising. In a deep husky voice that demanded he take notice, she said, "Michelangelo Scarlatti, let me make one thing clear...Nobody, not even you, tells me what to do or who I can see or talk to. Understood?" she paused a moment but not long enough to allow him to answer the rhetorical question. "I am a grown woman. I assessed the situation and determined the threat level to be low. He was remorseful and apologized to me for his previous behavior and I took him at his word."

Spike approached her and grasped her shoulders firmly, but not harshly. With desperation in his voice he said, "Joe is twice your size... he could have hurt you...or he could have killed you!" Spike tightened his grip slightly as he stammered, "I...I..." He relaxed his grip and looked into her eyes as his expression softened. "I lost Lou. I lost Mac. I lost my dad..." He slid his arms around her back and held her close. Burying his face in her hair, he whispered with agony in his voice, "I can't lose you, too."

Anisa felt the anguish in his body, as he nearly collapsed on top of her. She steadied herself to support any of his weight that she needed to, as his embrace tightened around her. She knew that he was completely spent both emotionally and physically. He had been the rock and support system for his mother and his sister since this ordeal began...not to mention defusing a bomb shortly before his father passed. He had been under and inordinate amount of stress taking care of everybody. She held him tight.

When he seemed a little more stable, she said gently, "Oh, Mike, honey. I'm OK." She pulled away enough that she could look into his eyes. Gone was the anger and in its place was a mixture of fear and relief.

"I'm good...I'm here," she reiterated taking his face in her hands forcing him to look at her. She gave him a little smile and placed a kiss softly on his lips. "And I always will be right here... with you."

She slid her arms around his neck and drew him into an embrace. They didn't know, however, that Mrs. Scarlatti had cracked the door to the kitchen to peek in. She had heard their raised voices, although she couldn't hear what they were saying and had become concerned. She opened the door to check on them once they had quieted down a bit and saw them standing there enveloped in each others arms. Mrs. Scarlatti quietly closed the door, satisfied that all was well.

After several minutes in each others grasp Anisa allowed Spike to slowly pull back slightly.

"I know what you need," said Anisa smiling. "Hang on while I get my purse," she said as she darted out of the kitchen to fetch her bag. She saw Spike's mom tidying up the dining room and asked, "Would it be OK if I took Mike out for a short drive? Maybe an hour?"

Michelina Scarlatti took hold of one of Anisa's hands and said, "Yes. Do whatever you need to do, dear."

Anisa kissed her cheek and returned to the kitchen and took Spike by the hand leading him to her car. She drove out of Woodbridge so that there would be less chance of Spike seeing someone he knew. She pulled up next to an old fashioned drug store.

"What are we doing here?" asked Spike.

"You'll see," she said leading him into the store. It looked like something out of an Archie's comic book with its 1950s era soda fountain with a few stools at the counter. Anisa sat down and Spike followed suit. She order an ice cream sundae with chocolate ice cream, of course. Spike ordered a banana split.

"My mom believed firmly that ice cream could make anything better or at least easier to handle. I tend to agree with her," stated Anisa swiveling slightly on the stool so she was facing Spike. He smirked at her comment.

"You know we have a house full of cakes and cookies," he pointed out.

"True. Ice cream is better, though," she insisted. "Do you want to tell me about the arrangements?" she asked a bit sheepishly.

Spike nodded and said, "The wake will be the day after tomorrow and the funeral mass and burial will take place the day after that."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" asked Anisa.

"All that is left to do is plan the food and Ma and Ria are handling that. Trust me ...you don't want to get in the way of two Italian women when food is involved," he said with a smirk and a chuckle.

Anisa smiled, as she put a spoonful of ice cream in her mouth nodding her head. Spike glanced up at her and watched. He loved to watch her eat ice cream...she had a way of twisting her spoon upside down in her mouth before pulling it out. He thought it was incredibly sexy, especially because she had no idea she was doing it, let alone the effect it had on him. He looked away, quickly pushing the thought out of his mind.

"I see Ryan brought your car by. Did you talk with him today?" asked Spike turning to look at her. When she turned toward him, he saw that she had a dollop of whipped cream on the tip of her nose. He couldn't help but grin. "Uh... you got a little something," he said tapping the end of his own nose then pointing to hers.

Anisa crossed her eyes in a comical attempt to see the whipped cream. She then extended her tongue upwards to reach the offending cream. She looked hilarious and Spike couldn't help but laugh out loud at her failed attempt.

"Here, let me help you with that," he said through his chuckles. He leaned over and brought his lips to her nose. He kissed her nose and removed the whipped cream in the process. The action brought a smile to her face.

"Mmm, thank you. Now it is my turn," she said softly, dipping her finger in whipped cream and depositing a dollop on his nose then dragging her finger down to his lips. Her lips then followed the path of her finger starting at his nose and then working their way down to his lips. They shared a modest kiss then smiled at each other as they separated.

Without taking his eyes off of Anisa's, Spike dipped his finger into the whipped cream in his dish then smeared it on Anisa's nose. She giggled and took a fingerful of cream and drew a line a of whipped cream on his cheek. Spike retaliated by laughing and placing some ice cream on her chin.

"This is war," he said with a chuckle.

Anisa laughed and kissed away the whipped cream on his cheek. "How about a truce?" she giggled.

"Mmm.." mumbled Spike as he he kissed the dollop of whipped cream off of her nose and then the ice cream from her chin. "I guess a truce can be reached," he said smiling into her eyes.

She looked at him and for the first time in days she saw a little of the pain disappear. There was a twinkle of light in his eyes that made the dark circles under them a little lighter.

"Your mom was a wise woman," said Spike finishing his ice cream.

"Indeed," said Anisa putting the last spoonful of ice cream into her mouth with a grin. When the waitress dropped off the bill, Anisa snatched it up saying, "My treat." Spike smiled and excused himself to the bathroom. While he was gone, Anisa grabbed a bag of M&Ms and then paid the bill.

As they walked to the car hand in hand, Anisa asked, "You know something else my mother taught me?"

"What?"

"How to do this," she said as she tossed an M&M up into the air and attempted to catch it in her mouth. It hit her cheek and rolled off the sidewalk and into the gutter. "I'm a little out of practice," she said with a grin. She glanced at him and smiled and tossed another candy into the air. This time she caught it without even a bobble. She turned and winked at him as she chewed the candy.

"Let me try," said Spike and she poured some candies into his hand. The first one he tossed up landed directly on the tip of his nose and bounced so he could catch it. They both chuckled. He tossed it in the air again and this time he had to take a large step ahead to reach it. Since he was looking in the air and not where he was going, he tripped over a raised sidewalk and fell into a woman who was standing waiting for the bus. The two nearly toppled over, but Spike regained his balance and caught the woman. He apologized profusely and continued walking, while Anisa suppressed her giggle as best she could. Spike gave her a 'hairy eyeball' look then tossed another candy in the air. It landed squarely in his mouth and he looked at Anisa with a triumphant grin. She laughed and tickled his ribs which in turn caused him to laugh... really laugh. It seemed like a long time since she had heard that laugh and she missed it. She unlocked the car and got in the driver's side while Spike got into the passenger side. As they drove away, Spike relaxed into the seat and took her hand in his. He asked her about Ryan and the case. She told him how close they were and that tomorrow she was thinking of going in to help Ryan question some persons of interest.

"You should definitely go. It is going to be pretty dull here since all the big stuff is taken care of. I bet Ma is gonna have me cleaning the bathrooms. On second thought maybe you should stay and help out," he teased as they pulled up to the house.

"Ha ha ...I think you can handle it," she chuckled getting out of the car. Spike slid his arm around her waist as the walked up to the front door. Before he opened the door, he turned her to face him sliding his other arm around her, also. He kissed her tenderly.

"Thank you," he mumbled holding her close.

She wrapped her arms around his neck pulling his ear to her lips, "I love you ….more than anything."

Smiling, Spike opened the door and entered the house. Immediately, Spike was assaulted by his nephews, Tommy leaping into his arms.

"Hi guys," said Spike lifting Tommy onto his hip and ruffling Joey's hair.

"Where did you go? We wanted to play video games," said Joey.

"Anisa and I went out for some ice cream," explained Spike.

"Aww... we wanted some," protested Tommy.

"Not this time buddy...maybe next time," he said looking at the disappointment in his nephew's face.

Tommy looked down then reached into Spike's shirt pocket and said, "How come there is an M&M in your pocket?" The boy pulled out the candy and popped it in his mouth. Spike smirked and glanced at Anisa who grinned back at him as she opened her computer bag.

"That is a story for another day," said Spike putting the boy down.

Anisa opened her laptop and went directly to her email while Spike took the boys up stairs to get ready for bed. She reviewed the files that Ryan had sent over looking for something that would indicate who their suspect was. As she read through the files, she jotted notes on a pad trying to make sense of what she was reading. She knew that, if the suspect stuck to his pattern, he would strike again the day after tomorrow, so they were working with a tight timeline. She contemplated going home to her apartment for the night but both Spike and his mother encouraged her to stay. She was still sifting through the information late into the evening after everyone else had retired to bed. Spike sat down next to her glancing at her notes.

"Mind if I take a peek?" he asked.

"Go for it. I can use all the help I can get." The two talked through some of the suspects and persons of interest.

"Who is this guy?" asked Spike pointing to a picture of large man in his late twenties or early thirties.

"Scott Mackey, he's the grandson of the guy who had the coins that went missing. Lives with his father and works at a liquor store. No record of any criminal activity."

"That's weird, right? A thirty year old guy living with his parents," said Spike.

Anisa glared at him and chuckled, "Really?"

"What? He's not Italian," said Spike with a smirk.

"Ha ha... It looks like he lives with just his father. Mom is not in the picture," she reported. "It appears that mom died in a fire about15 years ago, when junior was about14."

"Mom died in a fire?" said Spike quizzically. "Where was the fire?"

"Hmmm... a hunting cabin," said Anisa dubiously. She looked at Spike and asked, "How many women do you know that are hunters?"

Spike gave her a crooked grin and said, "Can't think of one. What do we know about the dad?"

Anisa looked through file and said, "He was doctor and retired about 5 years ago... that seems pretty young to retire. That seems like a good place to start." She glanced at Spike who stifled a yawn. Reaching over to kiss his cheek, she said, "You must be exhausted, why don't you go to sleep?"

He lifted her chin and brought her lips to his causing her heart to pound and her stomach to flutter. She was amazed that he still had that effect on her. She closed up her laptop and they laid down on the couch together spooning. Spike had his arm around her and his hand on top of hers. He noticed how small her hand was as he held it with his.

Stroking her knuckles with his thumb, he said softly "Hey..." she turned a little so she was almost facing him. He glanced at their hands, "You know, you're so tiny that sometimes I forget how tough you are." He leveled his eyes with hers and continued, "About earlier, with Joe... I know you can take care of yourself... I was scared...I'm sor..." Anisa stopped him with a kiss.

* * *

**A/N:** I hope you liked this chapter. Please feel free to leave a review.


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N: **Thanks to all of those who have stuck with me through this story. I appreciate all those who have read and reviewed. This chapter has a little action as well as the lead-in to the angst of the following chapter.

**Disclaimer:** I wish I owned Flashpoint...but I don't :(

* * *

**Knowing Where You Need To Be**

**Chapter 32**

Anisa rose early the following morning and managed to disentangle herself from Spike without waking him completely. She made coffee, grabbed a pastry and dashed out the door before anyone else woke up. She took a quick shower in the locker room at the office and still beat Ryan in. Once he arrived, she told him what she and Spike had discussed about the Mackey case. They did a little more research on the older Mackeys and learned that he had been a surgeon, but was forced to retire when he had begun to develop "Parkinson's-like" symptoms. There was very little information to be found on the mother. There were no work records, no credit cards...nothing in her name.

They decided to pay the son, Scott Mackey, a visit first, at his place of work, the liquor store. When they arrived they were told that he had not come in yet that day, but was expected later in the afternoon. Anisa and Ryan decided to head out to the house where two generations of Mackey's lived. They pulled up to a quaint one level house in a nice neighborhood. There were flowers neatly planted in the garden and the grass was carefully manicured. This did not appear to be the house of a serial killer. The two detectives got out of the car and walked up to the door, scanning the grounds and neighboring houses. It appeared that the house was situated on a couple of acres of land that stretched out behind the house and also allowed for some distance between the houses. They let dispatch know of their location, as protocol demanded.

They rang to doorbell and waited...nothing. Ryan rang it again as Anisa tried to peer in through the front window. She saw the figure of a man slowly walking toward the door. When the door opened, Anisa and Ryan were greeted by a man who was frail but who, it appeared at one time to have been tall and robust. His eyes moved from Ryan to Anisa and then back. The detectives showed the gentlemen their badges.

Ryan said, "Good morning, I am detective Ryan Lambert and this is my partner, Detective Anisa McConnell. Are you Dr. Gerald Mackey?" The old man nodded slowly. "We were wondering if we could come in and speak with you for a moment."

Eying the two detectives, the older man's gaze lingered on Anisa. He nodded his head and stepped to the side, allowing the detectives entry. Once inside, he slowly led them into the living room and sat down. The room was perfectly appointed, with drapes and matching furniture. There were few knick-knacks and only one picture, showing a younger Gerald Mackey smiling broadly with his arm around the shoulder of a boy about 12 years old. The boy was grinning from ear to ear. There was also a very prim and proper woman in the picture who was standing next to the older Mackey, but slightly behind him and not touching either of them. Her expression appeared to show forced pleasantness.

"What is this about?" asked Mackey in a gravely voice but without malice.

Ryan took the lead, "We are following up on some missing antique coins. We spoke with your father yesterday and he told us that two coins from his collection were missing. We are just starting with people who had immediate access to the house." Ryan smiled a reassuring smile. "Were you aware that they were missing?"

Mackey straightened up as best he could. "No, but we have not spoken much in recent years." Again he gazed at Anisa. His stare was making Anisa feel a bit uncomfortable.

"Oh? Why is that?" asked Ryan, as Anisa continued to scan the room for clues into the psyche of the family.

"I guess we just don't see eye-to-eye on some things. You know how families are," he said offering a toothy smile. Anisa noticed that the older man was absently rubbing his thumbs along the tips of his fingers, a motion that might indicate a lack of sensation in the fingertips.

Ryan nodded congenially, then said, "Does your son spend much time with his grandfather?"

"I don't know," he shrugged.

Anisa pointed to the photograph and said, "Nice looking family. How old is your son, now?"

"28."

"If you don't mind my asking, where is your wife?" asked Anisa, pretending not to know about her death.

"She died a few years ago," he said with no emotion.

"I'm sorry for your loss. May I ask how did she die?" Anisa persisted.

"In a fire."

"In this house?" asked Anisa. "You did a nice job restoring it."

"No, she died in a cabin in the mountains."

"So, she liked the outdoors?" Anisa pressed.

"Yeah...I guess," he said. "Is there anything else?"

Ryan spoke up as Anisa walked over to examine the books on the bookshelf and get a closer look at the photo, "Actually, is your son around? We wouldn't be doing our jobs if we didn't at least ask him about the coins." Ryan chuckled trying to play it off as if it were just routine.

"I haven't seen him since breakfast."

"Do you mind if we take a look around while we wait for him?" asked Ryan nonchalantly.

"Sure," said Mackey. "Help yourselves. I'll go make some tea." He rose and feebly hobbled toward the kitchen.

Once he had left the room, Anisa whispered to her partner, "He seems completely detached from his wife and unmoved by her death." Ryan nodded. They walked through the rooms which appeared to be immaculate. They were restricted from doing a thorough search since they didn't have a warrant. They took notice of a large shed in the back yard before they opened the door to the basement and cautiously descended the stairs. What they saw surprised them because of its normalcy. A washer and dryer, a work bench with some tools, a cement slab floor. Nothing particularly out of the ordinary. As they walked around the room, something just felt strange to Anisa. She noticed a sawhorse off to the side near the workbench and thought nothing of it. As she stepped closer to it, the hair on the back of her neck stood up on end.

"Hey Ry, why would someone put padding on a sawhorse?"

"Don't know," he answered walking toward her.

Looking around the room she noticed that it was very well insulated. "A lot of insulation in this basement." She continued to scan the room and saw a series of hooks drilled into the wall at various heights. Standing next to the sawhorse, Anisa reached her arms in front of her and bent at the waist as if she were leaning over the sawhorse. Her hands were perfectly aligned with two of the hooks.

"Oh my God, Ryan, this is what the hooks are for and why the sawhorse is padded," exclaimed Anisa.

Ryan's eyes got huge as the realization hit him that they were standing in a virtual torture chamber. He frantically searched the room for proof of their suspicions. Anisa's phone buzzed...Spike's number popped up. She quickly glanced at Ryan who nodded for her to answer it.

"Hey, Mike. Is everything OK?"

"Yeah. Ma and Ria are in the kitchen discussing food and I use the word discussing loosely. I hope the neighbors don't call the cops," he joked. "How's it going there?"

"Good, I think we figured somethings out, but we need some evidence which is hard to find," she answered.

"Well, I found something," said Spike. "I was bored this morning, so I thought I would do a little research on the Mackey's. Seems that Mrs. Mackey made a few visits to the ER...she was rather clumsy. Nothing major, just a few stitches, but she was careful to visit different hospitals each time, so she wouldn't raise red flags."

"How did you find that out?"

"I have super powers," teased Spike. "I tried to access some info on Dr. Mackey, but since he is still alive, it is a little harder to gain access to his files. But based on some photos in the local paper, he liked to hunt with his son."

"Hmmm. Interesting. Any information on his medical diagnosis?"

"It looks like the doctors initially thought it was Parkinson's until he started to develop dementia symptoms. They did a blood test and get this...syphilis!"

"Whoa."

"Apparently, once it gets to the latent stage, it can impact your thinking and cause numbness in extremities," reported Spike.

"Where does a married man pick up syphilis?"

"I can't answer that, but you can use your imagination," said Spike.

"Was there any evidence of syphilis in Mrs. Mackey after the fire?"

"According to records, the fire burned so hot that all that was left was ash. Nothing that could be tested for anything let alone syphilis."

"Thanks for the info. You doing OK?" asked Anisa.

"Yeah I'm good. Keep safe, OK?"

"Yep," Anisa said hanging up and relaying the information to Ryan.

"Well, the only way to get syphilis is through sexual intercourse...so either he was fooling around or she was," said Ryan thinking out loud.

"There has got to be more..." she said frantically searching for something. She opened one of the drawers to the work bench and found a variety of constraints and bonds, handcuffs, wrist and ankle straps and all sorts of shackles. The next drawer contained all sorts of paddles and whips and... a set of keys. "Hey, Ry," she said picking up the keys, "What do you wanna bet that one of these opens the shed out back?"

"Yeah, but we can't check it out without a warrant," Ryan pointed out still scanning the room for something that could help them. He scoured the room for something and then his eyes fell on a tiny spot on the floor peeking out from the foot of the sawhorse. "But maybe we can use this," he said carefully moving the sawhorse slightly to reveal what now was revealed to be a blood spot.

"Perfect," exclaimed Anisa as she dialed the District Attorney's office. She explained the situation and requested an emergency warrant, stressing that this was for the serial murder case. The DA replied that he would contact the judge immediately and get back to her ASAP.

"What if this is just some sort of kinky sex room?" asked Ryan as he continued to examine the floor fro more blood.

"First of all...Ewww. Second, that would be quite a coincidence, don't you think?"

"Yeah...I don't really believe in coincidences."

Anisa's phone buzzed. "McConnell." she said recognizing the DA's number. "Great, thanks," she said hanging up. "Got the warrant in my in box with a hard copy on its way with some uniform officers. It includes the the shed out back, too."

Ryan led the way upstairs and mumbled, "I hope this goes smoothly."

As they reached the top of the stairs, they saw Mr. Mackey sitting in the easy chair staring ahead with a vacant look on his face.

"Uh...excuse me, Mr. Mackey?" prodded Ryan, trying lure him out of his trance-like state.

Slowly the older gentleman blinked and turned his head to look at the two detectives. A look of slight confusion crossed his face. "Who are you and why are you in my house?" he asked in a voice the indicated confusion rather than something more threatening.

"We are Detectives Lambert and McConnell with the RCMP," explained Ryan realizing that Mackey had fallen into a momentary state of dementia. "We have a search warrant to search your home and the shed out back."

Mackey nodded as the veil of confusion began to lift. His eyes settled on Anisa as the corners of his mouth turned up slightly into a rather ghoulish grin. He rose and took a feeble step toward her and muttered, "McConnell...hmmm." He reached out and touched her hair causing her to take a step back.

Looking into Anisa's eyes, he asked, "So pretty...Can I get you some tea?"

"No thank you Mr. Mackey. Do you understand that we have authorization to search your home and your shed?" asked Anisa warily. Mackey took another step towards Anisa, but Ryan stepped between them.

"I am going to have to ask you to wait outside, please, Mr. Mackey," Ryan said as Anisa walked to the front door and noticed that the uniformed police had arrived with the warrant. Ryan led Mr. Mackey outside and asked the unis to keep an eye on him while they conducted the search.

The search in the kitchen and family room yielded nothing of interest. Anisa began searching the computer in the den while Ryan searched the Father's bedroom. Almost simultaneously both Ryan and Anisa exclaimed, "Holy crap!" Anisa had found some video files with women being tortured and raped. There were about 15 separate files that Anisa could easily find. Opening the most recent file she saw their latest victim. Ryan came out of the father's bedroom carrying an old VCR tape.

"What did you find?" he asked as Anisa showed him the video. They could see a younger male body torturing the girl. "I bet that is our boy Scottie."

Anisa nodded and said, "What did you find?"

"Not exactly sure, but there are a bunch of them, all simply labeled with letters and numbers. Let's go see what Daddy likes to watch," Ryan said as they entered the bedroom and played the tape on the old television set. The film was old and scratchy, but they recognized the sawhorse from the basement and the elder Mackey beating a naked woman who was draped across the sawhorse with her arms cuffed against the wall.

"Turn it off," said Anisa turning her head away. "I think we have enough to arrest both of these guys if little Scottie ever show up."

"Let's check the shed," directed Ryan leading the way. He radioed the unis who were out front with the elder Mackey and told them to cuff him and put him into the squad car.

They approached the shed and opened the door slowly. They saw a man, presumably Scott Mackey, bent over the work bench. They also saw a video camera on a tripod and one corner filled with all sorts of, what appeared to be, bondage devices. The two detectives looked at each other and nodded taking a few steps closer to the subject.

Ryan took the lead by saying, "Mr. Mackey? Mr. Scott Mackey?" Mackey turned around to face the Lambert. Ryan and Anisa continued to move slowly toward Mackey.

"What is this about? Who are you?" he growled glaring at Ryan.

"I am Detective Ryan Lambert and this is my partner Detective Anisa McConnell," replied Ryan as Anisa stepped to stand next to him. Mackey's gaze moved from Ryan and settled on Anisa and the look on his face changed a bit. "We'd like to talk to you about one of the girls who was recently abducted. I am sure you have heard about it in the news." They could see the panic begin to flare in his eyes. Again he focused on Anisa and his look became more sinister. Ryan tried to draw his attention away from her by saying, "Why don't you come with us down to the station so we can talk about it."

Mackey took another step toward Anisa which put him close enough to reach out and touch strand of her hair. Speaking softly to her, he said, "You are as pretty as they were. Do you think I could have hurt any of those girls?"

Before she could answer, Ryan grabbed his arm to pull him away from his partner. Mackey, who was nearly as big as Ryan, turned and punched Ryan in the neck, knocking him to the floor, and bolted out the door. Anisa glanced at her partner to be sure he was alright, then sprung into action and was in quick pursuit. Mackey may have been bigger, but Anisa was faster. She closed the distance between them quickly and when she was close enough, she threw her entire body weight into his back knocking him off balance and down to the ground with her on top of him. She had one knee on his back as she grappled with his arms. He flung his right arm back as she was trying to secure his left. It connected with her nose with such force the it knocked her head back and forced some expletives from her mouth. Grabbing the back of his head, she slammed it into the ground just hard enough to make him slightly loopy but not heard enough to cause any long term or serious damage.

As she was pulling the cuffs out of her belt and placing them on his wrists, she heard Ryan behind her. She noticed a drop of blood trickle from her nose onto the back of the subject's shirt and muttered, "Son of a bitch! I think he broke my nose." Ryan grabbed Mackey by the arms and yanked him to his feet, allowing Anisa to climb off of his back. She pinched the bridge of her nose trying to stop the bleeding but the pain caused her to see stars. "Shit!" she exclaimed tilting her head back. Ryan handed her a handkerchief as he steered Mackey to one of the squad cars. The unis had called for a second car once it looked as though they may be transporting two suspects.

Once Anisa was settled into the passenger side of the car, Ryan handed her an instant ice pack that was in the first aid kit in his vehicle. "Put this on the side of you nose. It will slow the bleeding enough to allow it to clot." When he saw her lean her head against the headrest and do as he had told her, he asked, "So, you want to go to the hospital?"

"No!"she barked. "We gotta get Crime Scene out there to collect all the evidence."

"Already called them and they are on their way. Do you want to wait for them or meet them back at the station?" Ryan knew that Anisa was no fun to be around when she was in pain, so he let her make all of the decisions.

"It should only take them ten minutes. We can wait for them, tell them what we know and then head back to the station," she said, her mood settling a bit. "Damn this hurts!" Ryan just nodded in agreement as they waited.

The CSIs arrived in record time and were quickly briefed by the detectives. By the time Anisa and Ryan arrived back at the station, the bleeding had finally stopped, but the swelling had begun. They made their way to their desks in silence. Ryan glanced at his partner and asked, "You OK?"

"Yeah," she muttered in a nasally tone. She glanced down and saw blood on her shirt. "Crap, another freaking shirt ruined," she grumbled as she pulled open her bottom drawer to grab her spare shirt that she always kept in her desk. "Dammit!" she exclaimed seeing the drawer was empty. She had taken the shirt out and worn it the day that Cameron had spilled coffee down her front, but had not gotten around to replacing it.

"Hey," said Ryan as he tossed her a t-shirt when she glanced up at him. She smiled at him and trotted off to the ladies room to change.

She pulled off her favorite blue blouse that now had a huge reddish brown stain on the front. She pulled on Ryan's t-shirt bearing the logo for Special Ops. It was huge on her, but was better than the blood stained one which she threw into the trash, knowing that the stain would never completely come out. She finally glanced at her reflection in the mirror and let out a quiet grunt of disgust just as the door to the ladies room opened and Merry Danner walked in.

Anisa nodded and said, "Hi, Merry."

Detective Danner smiled at her and replied, "Hey there. Well done on the serial killer case. And nice take down."

Anisa looked at her quizzically, "What do you mean?"

"Oh, it is all over the news. Apparently, some neighbor with a good cell phone camera video taped your arrest of the serial killer," Danner explained.

"Geeze, I hope they didn't have the mike on. That will not reflect well on the RCMP," chuckled Anisa remembering the colorful language she used when she had been struck in the face.

"I didn't hear anything, but you never know...Man he was one big dude and you got him...well done," uttered Danner truly impressed.

"Yeah, but the jack ass messed up my face," said Anisa continuing to examine the swelling and growing bruise on her face. Detective Danner pulled a tube of make-up out her purse and handed it to Anisa without saying anything. "Thanks," said Anisa dabbing the make-up onto her face in an attempt to conceal some of the damage. Handing it back to Danner, Anisa said, "Well that is the best I can do. I'll catch you later."

"Oh, hey, I heard about Spike's father. Tell him I'm sorry, OK?" Danner said with genuine sympathy in her voice.

"I will," said Anisa, as she walked out of the ladies room.

* * *

Spike spent the afternoon taking his niece and nephew shopping for clothes for the funeral. They stopped for ice cream, as he had promised Tommy...anything to stay out of the house. His mother and his sister were discussing details of the food to be served following the funeral. They didn't seem to agree on anything. Spike and the kids returned to the house around 5 o'clock and their noses were greeted with the familiar fragrance of tomato and garlic. As he opened the door, he heard the sounds of his mother and sisters having a loud discussion in Italian. He glanced at CiCi and rolled his eyes causing her to chuckle.

"How about you go in there and tell your mother and grandmother that we are home?" urged Spike.

Shaking her head from side to side, Cici said "No way...I am not going in there," and sauntered into the family.

"Coward!" Spike spat at her with faux irritation.

"Takes one to know one," she she teased back.

He inhaled deeply before opening the door to the kitchen. "We're home," he announced in Italian. "Need any help?" he asked tentatively.

"No! Just make sure the kids are washed for dinner and the table is set," barked his sister.

When everyone sat down to dinner, the boys told their mom about the suits Uncle Mike had bought them and CiCi told her about the dress she had picked out. Ria stood up to clear the dishes and kissed her mom on the top of the head bringing a smile to her mother's face.

Once all of the details for the following day had been worked out, the group sat down to watch a little television together. They were enjoying the Wheel of Fortune, one of Mrs. Scarlatti's favorites, when the program was interrupted by an urgent news break.

_The announcer said: We interrupt this program to bring you breaking news. The serial killer who has been abducting young women over the last 6 months has been caught. As seen here in this home video. _

Spike had been standing behind the couch but took a step closer to the TV and wrapped his arms tightly around his torso as he watched.

"Isn't this the case that Anisa was working on?" asked Ria, her eyes glued to the television. She saw a large man come barreling out of a shed or out building.

"Yeah," muttered Spike, taking another step closer to the television.

A split second later a small framed female, obviously Anisa, bolted out of the shed in hot pursuit of the larger man. Although she was smaller than him, she was faster and gained on him quickly.

"Is that Anisa?" asked Joey innocently.

"Yeah," was all Spike could say as he brought his hand up to his mouth and began chewing on his knuckle. "Where is her vest? Why isn't she wearing her vest?" he mumbled to himself, his voice laced with worry.

The whole group sat on on the edge of their seats as they watched Anisa overtake the subject and tackle him. They saw her head jerk back in the scuffle and watched as she retaliated by banging his head against the ground. She then put hand restraints on him before her partner dragged the subject to his feet and over to a squad car.

"Whoa...she is bad-ass!" muttered Joey with awe.

"Hey, watch your mouth," snapped his Ria. She watched Spike's reaction during this whole episode. His body was as taught as a sail on a windy day. The sail went slack and Spike exhaled when saw that his girlfriend was safe. He rubbed his hand across his face trying to release the moments of stress caused by what had unfolded on the television before him. He turned away form the television and went into the kitchen. Spike walked over to the sink and gripped counter with all his might and hung his head trying to bring his breathing under control. His mind was flooded with images of all of those close to him whom he couldn't save...Lou, Mac, his Dad. He visualized Anisa being being shot by the man she 'attempted' to tackle. He tried to push the image from his mind by shaking his head and leveling his breathing.

Ria ushered her kids upstairs to pack because they were going to spend the night at home tonight. She then walked into the kitchen and saw her brother with a white-knuckle grip on the counter and lost in his thoughts. His back and shoulders were taught with tension. His breathing was slow and deliberate.

"Mike, you OK?" Ria asked stepping into the room.

Spike turned around to face his sister, his demeanor softening as he offered his sister a reassuring smile. "Yeah, I'm fine," he said.

Ria looked into his eyes and saw something she didn't recognize. She wasn't sure if it was fear or rage or something else. She had never seen her brother exhibit either of those emotions. She took a step closer, hands on her hips and said, "You don't look fine. What's bugging you?" She was worried and a little unnerved by the look in his eyes.

Spike placed his hands gently on her shoulders as a gesture of reassurance and said, "I am fine. I promise." He pulled her close and kissed her on the forehead. "I'm fine," he reiterated.

The moment was broken by the door bell and Spike thought, _"Saved by the bell." _Stepping around his sister, Spike said, "I better get that."

* * *

A/N: I hope you liked this chapter. Stay tuned for more angst in the next one. Please feel free to leave a review.


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N: **Sorry for the long delay. There is a lot of stuff going on right now, so I haven't had much time to write. As always, thank you all who read and especially those who are compelled to review. Your words encourage me to continue. This is an emotional chapter, I hope you like it.

**Disclaimer:** I wish I owned Flashpoint...but I don't :(

* * *

**Knowing Where You Need To Be**

**Chapter 33**

Anisa joined Ryan in the interrogation room for a chat with the older Mackey. After only thirty minutes, they had a confession out of him on the murder of his wife and his involvement in other murders from several years ago. His dementia riddled brain watched clips of the videos retrieved from his home with a look of fondness, nostalgia. He identified the women in all of the videos. As it turns out he had probably gotten syphilis from one of his earlier conquests but blamed it on his wife, which is why he was compelled to kill her.

It took a bit longer with Scott Mackey. They were with him for nearly two hours before he asked for his lawyer, but they had enough evidence to indict him for the abduction and murder of 5 girls. He also implicated his father in some abductions from a decade and a half earlier.

It was after 8:00 in the evening by the time Anisa pulled up in front of Spike's house. Her head was pounding and she noticed that there were several cars parked outside. She walked through the door and into the family room where Spike was sitting with Greg, Ed and his high school friend Tony. When Spike saw her enter the room, he rose to greet her.

"Hey," he said, his face contorted with concern as he noticed the swelling and faint bruising of her nose. He slid his arms around her waist and kissed her tenderly on the cheek and whispered, "I'm glad you are safe."

Anisa smiled and whispered into his ear, "Me too."

Spike led her into the family room to his friends where they all greeted her warmly. Ed stood to give her hug.

"Nice take down," he commented as he released her. A grin spread across his face revealing his bright teeth and causing the skin around his sparkling blue eyes to crinkle.

Anisa felt a little embarrassed that he had seen the arrest on TV, so she simply said shyly, "Ha ha, thanks." She walked over and hugged Greg who gave her a warm smile. He glanced at Spike and didn't recognize the look on the young man's face. Anisa then turned to Tony who also greeted her with a grin and a hug. He looked at her shirt with the SF logo and then zeroed in on the damage to her nose.

Seeing that Tony was looking at her nose, Anisa said preemptively, "He clocked me in the face and I think he broke my nose." Spike hadn't taken his eyes off of her and now he seemed glare at her. She looked into his eyes and saw a darkness she had ever seen before.

"Did you have it checked out at the hospital?" asked Spike.

Desperately wanting to change the subject, Anisa deflected, "Nah...it's not like there is anything that can be done for a broken nose... except stop the bleeding." She smiled stiffly as if to say, _"Can we just move on?"_

"You are so stubborn..." muttered Spike very softly.

"I'm Irish," retorted Anisa hoping to lighten his mood.

Tony, being the orthopedic surgeon he was, tilted her head up a little to get a better look at her nose. "Why don't you come into the kitchen with me where there is better light and I will see what I can do, OK?"

Anisa glanced at Spike, but couldn't read his expression, then slowly nodded her head, following Tony into the kitchen. Once in the kitchen, Anisa was greeted by Spike's mother with a kiss to each cheek. She then said, "Anisette, you are home. I will make you a plate." She immediately began filling a plate with food and set it on the table before she scurried out of the kitchen.

Tony tilted Anisa's head up again, examining her nose. He gently pressed along the outside of it with his fingertips. "Yep, it's broken. If you want, I can try to reset it so it heals a little straighter," he offered.

Anisa wrinkled her brow thinking about how badly it had hurt when Mackey had hit her the first time. "OK, I guess...will it hurt?" she asked tentatively.

Tony placed two fingers on either side of her nose and in one quick, sharp motion snapped her nose back into place, "Not too much," he said with a twinkle in his eye.

"Owww...Son of a bitch!" exclaimed Anisa at the shocking pain. She blinked her eyes several times to will away the pain. "Damn! You better hope it looks better than before, because that hurt and I will come after you!" she teased. Tony chuckled.

Spike ran into the kitchen, eyes wide with concern. "What happened? Is everything OK?" he asked fixing his eyes on Anisa.

She was sitting at the table with the plate of food that Spike's mom had made for her when her eyes locked with his. "It's all fine. Tony straightened my nose for me," she explained, winking at Tony as he left the kitchen. Spike took a step closer to her and she reached out her hand to hold his. "Mike, are you OK?"

He paused a moment before closing the small distance between them. He kissed her on the forehead and said, "Yeah, I'm fine."

She wasn't sure she believed him, but thought that this was not the time to delve more deeply into the conversation. Instead she said, "Why don't you go enjoy your guests and I will be out after I finish eating. OK?"

Spike eyed her closely and said, "Alright … if you are sure you are OK." She smiled and nodded, giving him permission to leave her.

When he returned to the family room he saw Greg chatting with his mother and Ed laughing with Tony. He let out his breath, which he hadn't even known he had been holding. His mother stood up and kissed his cheek saying, "Goodnight," to Spike and his friends. Anisa joined them once she had finished her dinner taking a seat next to Spike

"So what's with the Special Forces t-shirt?" asked Tony with a grin.

"Uh... well, it's my partner's. I got some blood on my other shirt and didn't have a back-up. Ryan gave me his spare shirt. He's always got my back," she answered smiling and relaxing under the crook of Spike's arm.

"Where was he when you were chasing the subject out of the shed?" mumbled Spike under his breath so only Anisa could hear him. She looked at him and raised an eyebrow in disbelief at what she had heard. She didn't say anything since there were guests in the house, but vowed to address it later.

The group chatted for a bit longer before Tony rose to leave. Ed and Greg followed suit as Spike walked them to the door. As they said their goodbyes, Greg pulled Spike into a hug noticing the slight edge in his behavior.

While still holding him close, Greg asked, "Spike, you doing OK?"

"Yeah, Boss, I'm good."

Leveling his eyes with Spike's, Greg said, "If you want to talk or blow off a little steam, I'm here. Whatever you need, you know that."

"I know, thanks, Boss. I'm fine," said Spike. Greg nodded, but was not so sure that Spike was 'fine'.

Finally, Anisa and Spike were alone. Spike drew her into an embrace, kissing her cheek. Back was the sweet, gentle Spike who asked her if her nose hurt.

"I do have a little headache," she answered downplaying the excruciating pain in her head. Spike offered to get her an aspirin and she nodded gratefully. When he returned with a glass of water and some aspirin, Anisa was curled up on the corner of the sofa nearly asleep.

"Hey, sleepy head," he said gently rubbing his knuckle along her jaw. She opened her eyes and saw love reflecting in his chocolate pools. She took the medicine he offered and snuggled against his side.

"How was your day?" she asked.

"Busy. Did a little research on the Mackeys in the morning and, in the afternoon, I took the kids shopping for clothes for tomorrow. I don't know how Ria does it," said Spike leaning his head against the back of the couch and running his hand through his hair.

Anisa kissed him on the chin and said, "You're a good uncle."

Spike smiled and pulled her closer. He looked down into her eyes and said, "I love you so much...more than I ever thought I could." Anisa thought she saw pain in his eyes as she brought her lips to his and he wrapped her in his arms. The kiss made Anisa's heart skip and her skin turn to goosebumps.

When they separated, Anisa gazed into his beautiful face and asked, "Are you sure you are OK?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Then why did you make that snide comment about Ryan not having my back? That's not like you," she questioned gently.

Spike straighten up and released his grip on her as he responded, "I saw you chasing a man twice your size and your partner was nowhere to be seen." There was an edge to his voice.

"Mike, inside the shed, Mackey was about to lay a hand on me, Ryan pulled him away and Mackey punched him in the neck. Have you ever been punched in the neck?" asked Anisa, raising her voice slightly. "Well, it hurts like a bitch and knocks the air out of you...so he fell to ground trying to catch his breath. Then Mackey took off out of teh shed and I pursued. So, you see, Ryan did have my back." Her words were laced with defensiveness.

Spike leaned forward, put his elbows on his knees and put his head in his hands. He nodded his head slowly then turned to look at her. She notice a shadow cross his eyes, his voice was heavy with emotion, as he said, "You weren't wearing your vest. Why weren't you wearing your vest?"

She felt as though she were being interrogated. "Mike, you know that we don't wear our vests at all times. We are not like the SRU. We went there just to ask some questions. In my line of work, you can't get someone to talk to you, to trust you, if you are wearing combat gear. We weren't expecting a confrontation."

"It's reckless, it's careless," he sputtered. The veil of darkness growing over his eyes as his brow and forehead creased.

Spike stood up to get away from her and walked over to a chair. He gripped the back of the chair and squeezed as hard as he could. He was seething. Anisa had never seen Spike like this, he wasn't making any sense. He was clearly struggling to maintain his control and she was unsure what to do. She stood up slowly and took a few cautious steps toward him. She moved close enough to touch him, but did not, knowing that he was in a volatile state.

Instead, she spoke calmly and softly, "Mike, talk to me. What is wrong?"

He growled through gritted teeth, "I can't do this... not again... not with you." He bowed his head and pinched his eyes shut, trying to push his emotions deep down inside. After a few deep breaths he seemed calmer, but Anisa was confused.

She reached out to touch his arm gently, "Do what, Babe?"

He turned to face her, opening his eyes which were brimming with tears. "I can't watch someone I love die … again. I won't watch you die," he gurgled then turned away from her.

Now it made sense to Anisa. He had been there when Lou, Mac and his father died and he was afraid for her.

"Mike, honey, I'm here. I'm fine," she said.

"Yeah, this time. But what about the next time? And the time after that?" he spat. "Every single day you put your life in danger...it's just a matter of time." Anisa knew he was being irrational, which was completely unlike him. She wanted to scream at him because he was also being hypocritical, but she let him continue, "Every day you go to work I think that I may never see you again." She watched him closely and saw his shoulders tense again and his breathing change again. He fell to his knees with his head in his hands, crying.

"I can't watch you die a horrible, violent death," he sobbed. Anisa dropped to the floor and wrapped her arms around him. She held him until he collapsed into her lap where she rocked him, gently stroking his hair until he calmed.

She kissed his temple then his ear and whispered in his ear, "It's OK, sweetie. I love you. I'm here." They stayed like that until the sobbing turned to a soft weeping. When the weeping had finally ceased, she lifted his face to hers and kissed his cheek. His eyes began to return to their normal chocolatey state and he rested his forehead on hers.

"I...I'm sorry, I..I," stammered Spike, but was cut off as Anisa kissed him on the lips to silence him.

"Michelangelo, I need to tell you a story. After Sean died and I got out of the military, I hit a really bad patch. I locked myself in my apartment and wallowed. I was alone and I hated myself, I hated my life, I hated the world."

"Yeah, I know you told me. Finally, Ryan dragged you back to the land of the living," said Spike scooting back so that they were leaning against the couch.

"Yeah... but, during that time, I was really bad. I drank, all the time. I wanted to die but I couldn't bring myself to commit suicide, so I thought if I drank enough, I might actually die. I drank so that I couldn't feel anything. Ryan would check on me every few days to make sure I was still alive and I cursed him for it because I wanted to die. I saw no reason to live. When I finally realized that I couldn't drink myself to death, I listened to Ryan and rejoined the world in the most minimal capacity. Not because I wanted to, but because I had no other option. I went through the motions and over time I learned to survive by focusing on my job. That was what became important to me. I learned to do it well, very well and on occasion I took risks, too many risks. I figured, better I die than my partner. Ryan had a family and I had no one, so if somebody had to be injured...better it be me." Anisa stopped for a moment and took a breath before turning to face Spike her eyes moist with emotion. Continuing, she said, "But then you came into my life and no matter how hard I tried to stop you from entering my heart, you persisted. Mike, I now have a reason to come home. You have given me a reason to want to live, to look forward to my future...our future. I don't take unnecessary risks because I want to come home... to you." She kissed him lovingly on the lips.

She said tenderly, "Babe, my job has risks, your job has risks. We know that. We also know that the best way to mitigate those risks is through knowledge and preparedness. We do the best we can, right?"

Spike looked into her slate blue eyes and his fear began to subside. He placed his hand on the side of her face, cupping her jaw. He ran his thumb along the scar on her lip, the one she had gotten the day TJ Ward had forced her to rescue him and Natalie. He pulled her face close to him and kissed the scar then moved slightly to cover her whole mouth. She responded, sliding her arms up his back drawing him closer.

When they separated, Anisa said, "Hon, you are exhausted and tomorrow is a big day. Let's get you to bed." She stood up and offered a hand to help him up. He slid his arm around her waist as they moved to the stairs. Anisa took the first step on the stairs and Spike slid his hand down to the curve of her hip gently resting on her firm rump. He loved the feeling of strength that her body exuded. It was very different from the women he had dated in the past who were soft and delicate...they needed him and his protection. Anisa was strong, independent and didn't need him...but she wanted him.

He walked her to Ria's room and took her in his arms pressing his lips to hers. Anisa slid her arms up his chest and around his neck pulling him closer. Spike felt his tension begin to release as the kiss deepened.

Spike leaned his forehead against hers and said with a mischievous grin, "That's an awfully big bed. Want some company?"

She kissed his chin and replied, "Mmmm, that sounds nice, but this is your mom's house and I want to respect her beliefs." Anisa grinned at him...it was nice to have the 'real Spike' back.

"I know," he chuckled. "Can't blame a guy for trying. See you in the morning." He kissed her one more time and said, "I love you."

"I love you, too."

They were both exhausted and fell asleep quickly. Spike's sleep was interrupted by the image of a large male figure running away. He recognized the figure as Scott Mackey. Then he saw a tiny figure in close pursuit...Anisa. As she gained on him, Mackey turned and unloaded a full magazine at Anisa. Spike watched as her body convulsed at the impact of the bullets. She finally fell into a bloody heap.

Spike bolted up in bed, his heart pounding out of his chest. He was breathing rapidly, his eyes scanned his room trying to take in his surroundings and determine if he had been dreaming or if he had been remembering an actual event. Still under the confusion of sleep, he slowly rose out of bed and made his way to Ria's old bedroom. He quietly opened the door and peered in and was relieved to see Anisa's sleeping form on the bed. He heard a soft whistling sound as she breathed, which was unusual. He smiled slightly, thinking about how she was such a freakishly quiet sleeper. Normally, he could never hear her breathe, so it was strange to hear the whistle when she was breathing now, which was caused by the swelling in her nose. As the relief overtook him, Spike's own breathing returned to normal.

"Thank God you're safe," he uttered softly, still gazing at her sleeping form. He hadn't noticed her eyes flutter open, but when she saw him standing there, she lifted the covers as an invitation. Spike couldn't help but smile as he made his way over to the bed and climbed in. As he took her in his arms, he kissed her cheek and asked softly, "How are you feeling? In pain?"

"I'm good," she murmured, as she kissed his lips. Anisa buried her face in his chest as best she could without hurting her nose, then closed her eyes, enveloped in his arms.

The next day the house was bustling by breakfast. Ria and the kids had returned and neighbors filled the kitchen with loud greetings, mostly in Italian. Anisa stood in the doorway of the kitchen in sweats and a t-shirt watching all of the commotion wishing she understood Italian, but smiling at the love that was evident. Spike came up behind her, slid his arms around her waist and kissed her neck.

"You think you can handle breakfast with this bunch?" whispered Spike. "'Cause we could always go out for some peace and quiet."

She relaxed into his embrace and answered, "I think I can handle it." She turned in his arms with a look of concern and said, "Oh God... my face must look hideous." She gingerly touched her nose to see if it was still swollen, which it was.

"'Hideous' is such a strong word. Maybe 'ghastly'," he teased pulling her closer and capturing her lips with his.

Anisa giggled then pushed him away saying, "Does it really look that bad?"

Spike grinned and raised his eyebrows knowing that there was no right answer. He wasn't sure what to say, so he decided that honesty was best. "Well, your nose is a little swollen and you have some bruising, but you're still beautiful and I love you." He punctuated that final statement with a kiss.

"Ewww...that is so gross. You guys are always doing that," grumbled Joey. Spike released Anisa and scooped up his nephew. He took Anisa by the hand and led her into the kitchen. From the way his uncle was holding him, Joey had a perfect view of Anisa's battered face. She saw him looking at her and then a broad grin spread across his face. Spike introduced Anisa to his friends who were delighted to meet the girl who had finally captured Michelangelo Scarlatti's heart. Spike put Joey down and went to pour them each some coffee while Joey continued to stare at Anisa.

Finally, Anisa looked at the youngster and said, "What?"

"You are totally bad-ass. I saw you on TV last night. Is that why your face is so messed up?" he asked, his eyes sparkling.

"Haha, yeah. I don't recommend picking on somebody bigger than you, though," she smiled back, "Because it hurts like a bi...g dog." She was glad that she caught herself mid-word because she tried not to curse in front of children.

After a prolonged breakfast, the friends and neighbors trickled out of the house. Spike and Anisa cleaned up the kitchen while Ria took her mother into the family room to rest. The week's events were taking a toll on Michelina Scarlatti. Anisa's phone rang as they were finishing up in the kitchen. She glanced at Spike...as if asking permission. He smiled and nodded as he exited the kitchen.

Spike walked over to where Ria and his mother were sitting. As he sat down, he placed his arm around his mother's shoulder. The three Scarlattis sat silently, leaning on each other. The kids were quietly watching television.

Anisa hung up the phone and entered the family room seeing the three adult Scarlattis supporting one another. Spike saw Anisa enter the room and gave her a smile as she walked over and gave him a tender kiss.

"Hey, listen, I have to go into the office for a little bit. I have some paperwork to finish and we need to talk to the CSI team to see what they found. Would that be OK?" Anisa asked softly.

Spike's stomach clenched momentarily at the thought of her going back to work. He reminded himself that she was only going to police headquarters...she wouldn't be in any danger. His eyes narrowed on hers, as he said, "Sure." Anisa noticed the change in his expression and smiled warily, nodding her head. Spike followed up with, "The visitation is at 6:00 and they want the family there at 5:00. Will you be able to be there?"

"I will be there...at 5:00?" she questioned since she wasn't officially family

Spike grinned and pulled her into a kiss then mumbled into her lips, "Yeah, 5:00."

"I'll be there. You relax for the rest of the day, OK?" she said then grabbed her bag and headed home for a shower.

After a long day of reviewing evidence that further implicated the Mackey's in the kidnapping and murder of the missing girls, Anisa stopped into the ladies room to freshen up. Looking in the mirror, Anisa saw the black circles peeking through the layer of make-up she had applied that morning. Although the swelling on her nose had gone down significantly, the bruising had become more pronounced. She checked her watch and saw she had 35 minutes before she was expected at the funeral home. She quickly dabbed on more concealer to cover the bruising, attempted to tame her hair and applied some lip gloss. On the drive to the funeral home her mind was filled with the images of girls being raped and tortured. As she pulled up to the funeral home, she pushed the thoughts from her mind.

It was 5:00 and Spike and his family were in the lobby of the funeral home gathering strength from one another, as families do at times like these. The director fetched them and ushered them into the Family Visitation Room. Spike lagged behind slightly wondering where Anisa was. _"She said she would be here...where is she?"_ he wondered trying to push his worry and anxiety out of his mind.

The door of the funeral home opened drawing Spike's attention. Spike looked into Anisa's weary eyes, as she smiled at him. She wrapped him in her arms as if reassuring him that she was alright. Spike exhaled his relief then kissed her neck whispering, "I'm glad you're here."

The family spent the next hour saying their personal goodbyes to the patriarch of the family. At 6:00, the doors opened and friends began to trickle in, saying goodbye to Dominic Scarlatti and offering condolences to the family. Spike and Anisa stood side-by-side occasionally grasping each others hands lightly. Spike gently had his arm around her at times when he introduced her to some friends from the neighborhood. Stories were shared about Dominic Scarlatti that made friends and family both laugh and cry. Team One, including Wordy, came to support Spike. Ryan and Mel came to offer support, as well. Tony and Nick arrived with their wives and Doug also showed up with his wife. The two hour visitation was nearing an end when Joe entered. His head hung low as he stood in the doorway looking for Ria. When their eyes met, his face offered the question about whether he could enter, just to say good bye. Ria nodded. He walked up to her and hugged her as tears spilled from his eyes.

"Ria, I am sorry for everything. I wish I had been a better husband because you deserved someone better that me. I'm sorry that I wasn't the son-in-law your father wanted to me to be. He was a great man and I'm sorry that our children won't have him in their lives any longer," said Joe. "Look, I don't want to cause a problem, but I just wanted you to hear those words from me. I'm going to hug the kids and then I will leave, OK?"

Ria smiled, because she always knew there was a better side to Joe than what her family had seen. She nodded her head as she said, "Yeah. Thanks for coming, Joe."

Joe walked over to his children and hugged them. He told them that he loved them and wiped their tears. Spike and Anisa both watched intently, but saw only the love of a father for his children. Joe then looked at Mrs. Scarlatti and Spike as if asking permission to approach them. Spike stood firm, but his mother nodded. Joe stepped into a tentative embrace with Mrs. Scarlatti offering his condolences. She hugged him firmly back, feeling that this was no time for anger and vendettas. Her reaction caused a brief sob to escape Joe's lips. Joe then reached out his right hand to Spike, as a gesture of both apology and condolence. Spike shook his hand giving Joe the benefit of the doubt. As he left the funeral parlor, Joe nodded to Anisa who had moved to the other side of the room and was speaking with Ryan, Jules and Sam.

Spike was chatting with Mrs. Tolio, a neighbor, when he heard a familiar voice speak his name. He turned his head to see Gina standing in front of him. She was wearing a form fitting black dress with a neckline that revealed her assets, yet was still just barely considered appropriate for such an occasion.

"Uh... Gina," he stammered.

In Italian she said, "Mike, I am so sorry. I was heartbroken when I heard the news. I had to come and see how you and your family were doing." She pulled him into a close, almost intimate, hug.

Spike involuntarily slid his arms around her to embrace her. He breathed a whiff of her perfume...Oh God how he had loved that heady fragrance, which was heavy with musk and spices. His brain was flooded with memories. As he held her for a moment, he felt her body against his, the shape of her curves and feel of her breasts pressed against his chest...it felt familiar. As Gina pulled him a little closer, Spike's hand slid down the top of her bottom and his mind went back to years ago when they would make love and it was beautiful. His eyes were closed, as he was lost in the memory of his love for her. Things had been simple then.

"I am sorry for everything," she whispered in his ear, her lips touching his skin causing a tingling sensation that emanated from that spot and traveled all through his body. He hated his body for reacting this way, but he couldn't control it. She then drew her hands to cup his jaw and kissed his cheek, but also touching the side of his mouth with her lips causing his lips to quiver slightly. "If there is **anything** you need, just call," she said with special emphasis on the word 'anything'.

When he finally opened his eyes, Spike looked over Gina's shoulder knowing that his self control would be further at risk if he looked into her deep brown eyes. He looked across the sea of people and his eyes locked with Anisa's. In those slate blue orbs, he saw sorrow, pain and confusion. And the realization hit him that he still held Gina in an embrace.

Spike was pulled from the moment by someone's arm being tossed over his shoulder and a familiar voice saying, "So, Spike, who do we have here?"

Snapping out of his own state of mental paralysis, he said, "Hi, Boss, this is Gina Figocci. Gina, this is Sergeant Greg Parker."

Gina was forced to release Spike, as Greg extended his hand to shake hers. "Nice to meet you, Sergeant Parker," she said looking him in the eyes. Greg smiled at her but his eyes held a warning that made her uncomfortable. "Mike and I go way back," she offered, hoping to diffuse the tension.

"Hmmm...funny, he has never mentioned you," said Greg plainly.

"Yes, well, if you'll excuse me I would like to offer my condolences to Michelina and Ria," said Gina, using Spike's mother's and sister's names confidently. She walked away and began speaking to Mrs. Scarlatti in Italian.

Greg turned to look at Spike, his eyes requesting an explanation. "Yeah, we dated a long time ago," Spike muttered, hoping Greg wouldn't press any further.

Greg offered a little smirk as he said, "I figured. Tread careful there, buddy." Spike simply nodded in understanding, knowing too well that the Boss was right.

Once all of the guests had departed, the family regrouped in the lobby discussing plans for the following day which was to begin early. Anisa stood back slightly, her emotions still raw from seeing Spike's interaction with Gina. Ria gathered her kids and headed home. Spike got his mother situated in the passenger side of his car.

He turned to Anisa and quietly asked, "So are you coming back to the house?" He hoped that his question sounded like an invitation because he wanted a chance to explain himself.

Anisa looked at the ground, at the keys in her hands, anywhere but at Spike, as she answered, "No, I don't think so." She glanced at him for a split second then returned her gaze to her keys. "I don't have clothes with me and I could used a shower," she offered as an explanation.

Spike nodded and said, "OK, I'll see you tomorrow." Then he kissed her chastely and got into his car.

* * *

**A/N:** Well, what did you think...about Spike's reaction to Anisa after the incident …. and Gina's return? I am working on the next chapter but keep stalling because I know what I want to happen, I'm just not sure how to get there believably. Thanks for reading.


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N: ** Thank you to those who have read and especially those who have reviewed. This chapter covers the emotional turmoil that Spike is going through with the burial of his father and the reentry of Gina into his life. I hope you like it.

**Disclaimer:** I wish I owned Flashpoint...but I don't :(

* * *

**Knowing Where You Need To Be**

**Chapter 34**

As Spike drove his mother home, there was little to no conversation in the car. Both were lost in their own thoughts. When they arrived at the house, Mrs. Scarlatti went into the kitchen to make sure everything was ready for the following day. Spike stood in front of the television watching the latest news reports: 2 people dead in a car accident; 3 dead and 4 injured in a gang related drive-by shooting; a firefighter killed in a deadly blaze; a police officer killed in a simple traffic stop. It was all bad news...death everywhere.

"Michelangelo," his mother said as she walked up to him and touched his arm. He turned to look at her. "What did Gina want from you?" she asked pointedly.

"Nothing, she just wanted to offer condolences," Spike answered. He had a peculiar feeling in his stomach at the mention of Gina's name.

His mother's gentle brown eyes narrowed as she said, "She always wants something. Perhaps she has become better at hiding it over the years."

"Ma, maybe she has changed. We all change over time."

"Maybe, but it is rare that someone's true character would change that drastically. I don't trust her and neither should you," she said. Then grasping his hand in both of hers, her eyes softening she said, "You have something beautiful and true with Anisette. Be careful with her heart."

Spike nodded. He glanced at the TV and said, "Ma, she could be killed any day." He dropped his hands to his sides and slumped his shoulders. "Every single day she..."

"I know, I heard you two last night. And so could you...don't forget that. Remember, love is not selfish. We cannot impose our wishes on the ones we love, we have to love them for who they are. Your father learned that the hard way. We cannot predict the future and must embrace each moment we have on this earth with the ones we love," she said, tears welling in her eyes. Spike saw the sadness in her face and pulled her into embrace.

"Ma, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you sad," he said holding her close. When she had calmed a bit, Spike pulled away and said, "Listen, I think we both need some sleep. Tomorrow is a big day."

His mother nodded her head in agreement. Pleadingly she said, "Call her, call Anisa..."

"OK, Ma I will," he said leading her to her bedroom. Then he went up stairs and got ready for bed. He sat on the edge of his bed holding a photo of his dad with his arm around him, the two of them grinning broadly. A single tear splashed onto the glass of of the frame. Spike put the photo back on his nightstand and leaned back on his pillows staring at his phone. He turned it over in his hand wondering what he should say to Anisa. An image of Gina popped into his brain and he tried to ignore the physical reaction, the strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. He couldn't sort through his feelings for her. He thought he was over her, so he couldn't understand his reaction to her touch, her smell, her body. Maybe he did still love her. And if he did, it wouldn't be fair to Anisa to pretend he didn't. He ran his hand through his hair feeling confused and slightly out of control of his emotions. That was not a feeling that he liked.

His phone buzzed and he looked and saw Greg's name on the caller ID.

"Hey boss,"

"How ya doing, buddy?"

"I'm OK, I guess,"

"Yeah, it was a tough day. Listen, you know that I am always here if you want to talk."

"I know, Boss"

"These next few days, you will be feeling a lot of different emotions, not all of them will make sense. It is a time to cling to those you love and those you who love you. Sometimes those lines can get blurred, just remember your true friends will always be there and will lift you up when you feel like you have hit rock bottom."

"Yeah, I know. Thanks, Boss."

"You bet, get some rest," said Greg

"Copy that."

After Spike hung up, he glanced at the picture of him and Anisa on his dresser. His mother had taken it at a Sunday family dinner. He was sitting in a chair in the dining room and Anisa was behind him with her arms around his neck and her face next to his. They both had big smiles on their faces. He knew he loved her, he was sure of that...but he wasn't sure about what he was feeling for Gina. He turned out his light and decided to send Anisa a text.

"**Good night. See you in the morning." **

Anisa responded, **"Night...love you."**

Spike hesitated a moment before responding, **"Me too." **

0000000000

Anisa's mind was reeling for the entire thirty minute drive to her home. When she arrived, she dumped her bag by the door and went to the kitchen to pour a glass of wine. Taking her wine with her into the bathroom, she took a shower still trying to process what she had seen and trying to keep her imagination from running a muck. "_Did he still love Gina after all she had done to him? She was gorgeous...the feminine ideal...perfection...flawless skin...perfect figure...stunning, perfectly coiffed brunette hair. What man could resist all that?"_ she wondered.

She took a sip of wine as she dried off looking at herself in the large bathroom mirror. She took inventory of all of her scars remembering exactly the event that caused each one. Her skin in between all of the scars was covered with freckles...there was nothing flawless about it. Looking at her hair, she saw a mass of wildness...curls and waves going in every direction in a color that was...odd. It wasn't a beautiful blonde like Natalie Braddock's. Nor was it a deep red like the actress, Julianne Moore. Moving down to her face, aside from the scars, her face now had patches of blue and purple with a tinge of green. Her nose would always have a little hitch in it even though Tony had straightened it out.

She finished drying herself off and pulled on a t-shirt and sweats. She took her glass of wine and her phone and curled up on the chair in her bedroom. She gazed at a picture of Spike and her. That day they had set up a timer and kept missing it until finally he had grabbed her and started to tickle her. In the picture, she was looking up at him giggling, as he was laughing. It was a beautiful candid shot because they had, again, missed the pose. She loved the picture because his dimples showed and his eyes twinkled as he looked at her. She glanced at her phone hoping he would call and tell her that he loved her and put all of her crazy worries at ease.

Her phone suddenly buzzed in her hand...but it was just Ryan.

"Hey," she said, answering the phone.

"How ya doing?" he asked.

"I'm good," she said, not wanting to vent all of her insecurities on him.

"Uh huh..." he said skeptically. "Don't do it!" he said authoritatively.

"What?"

"Sit there with glass of wine and question Spike and his feelings for you. Don't go there. Remember, when we lose someone we love, **all** of our emotions float to the surface. We are at our most vulnerable. He loves you, even if it doesn't feel like that right now. Your job is to be his rock, OK?"

"OK," she mumbled.

"How many glasses have you had?" he asked with only mild concern.

"This is my first. When I finish it, I'm going to bed."

"Good. I'll see you tomorrow at the church, OK?"

"Yep...thanks, Ry...I love you, buddy!"

"Back at ya, Red!"

She swallowed her last sip of wine, climbed into bed and put her head on her pillow. She was just closing her eyes when her phone buzzed with a text message from Spike.

"**Good night. See you in the morning." **

Anisa responded, **"Night." **She hesitated a moment then added,** "..love you."**

Spike responded, **"Me too."**

She blinked away a tear at the realization that he couldn't even bring himself to say the words "I love you."

* * *

Spike walked through the door of his home and was greeted with the fragrance of basil, garlic and tomatoes. He put down his bag and walked through the family room into the kitchen where she was plating up a dish of pasta bolognese. She was wearing a skin tight black dress that hugged her curves just right.

She turned around with a smile and greeted him, "Buonasera." He realized it was Gina, as she approached him and kissed him tenderly. They sat down to dinner and Spike told her about his day...she smiled and nodded.

"What did you do today?" he asked.

Still smiling, she said, "Nothing...just waited for you." Spike nodded but wasn't exactly sure what to make of this situation. She continued with the same rather creepy smile, "I am here waiting for you ...**safe** and sound, everyday." She put extra emphasis on the word 'safe'.

Spike managed a smile. The next thing he knew, she was seducing him. Her lips and hands were all over his body and he was responding like any other warm blooded male. Somehow they were now in the bedroom with clothes off.

As Gina was kissing him, she repeated the phrase, "I am always safe at home, you don't have to worry about me."

Suddenly Spike's eyes flew open, he was breathing heavily, and had clearly been aroused by his dream. He waited a few minutes before he was comfortable standing in his current condition. He hadn't had that type of dream since he was a teenager. He made his way to the bathroom, splashed cold water on his face and glanced at his reflection in the mirror. He hardly recognized the image that looked back at him. There were flecks of gray hair at his temples, dark circles under his eyes and deep creases in his forehead. He regained control of his bodily reactions and returned to his room. He laid down on his bed and stared at the ceiling, trying to make heads or tails of the dream.

On the one hand, it was clear that Gina was a very attractive woman and any normal man would have the same physical reaction to her advances. On the other hand, this is the woman who had not just broken his heart, but obliterated it and later laughed at his expense. Is it possible that he still had feelings for her? Maybe Gina had changed, and she would really love him this time. At least he wouldn't have to worry about her being killed on a daily basis. Perhaps she was a safer choice.

He knew that he loved Anisa, or at least he thought he did... but was that enough? Could he live in constant fear that she would not make it home one day?

Spike lay there pondering these questions until the sun edged up over the horizon. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, got dressed in his running clothes and hit the pavement. He hoped that the physical exertion would help clear his mind. After a 5 mile run, he opened the kitchen door to find a plate of eggs and a cup of coffee on the table for him. He wasn't sure if the run had made anything clearer but he did know that he felt better with the endorphins running through his body.

After breakfast he he took a shower and dressed for the funeral. The run had given him the energy he needed to make through the day. As he was tying his tie his phone rang. Looking at the caller ID he saw Anisa's name.

Taking a deep breath, he answered the phone, "Hi."

"Hi, Mike, how are doing this morning?" she asked with genuine concern.

"As well as can be expected, I guess. You?"

"Fine...I didn't sleep real well, but..."

"Hehe...me neither," said Spike remembering the thoughts that floated through his mind the previous night.

"How's your mom doing today?"

"She is a strong lady, so she is holding up," he said as he pulled on his jacket and started down the stairs.

Anisa smiled at the truth in that comment. "Yes she is," she agreed. "Is there anything you guys need?"

"I think we are good," he said reaching the bottom step and seeing his mother pulling her coat on. He helped her with the other sleeve.

"OK, well I guess I will see you at the church," she said with a twinge of something in her voice.

"Sounds good,"

"Um...hey Mike?"

"Yeah?"

"I ..I just want you to know that ...I love you...more than anything. I will be here for you, whatever you need, no matter what."

Spike inhaled deeply trying to steady his emotions. "I know, I love you, too. See you soon," he said.

"See ya," she said hanging up.

When Spike hung up, his mother was looking at him with more than just grief in her eyes. No words were said as they got into the car. On the drive to the church, Spike reached over and took her hand in his as he watched a tear trickle down her cheek.

"Michelangelo, I can't believe he is gone," muttered Mrs. Scarlatti. "What am I going to do now?"

"I know, Ma. We will figure this out together... I promise."

They pulled up to the church at the same time as Ria and the kids. Spike and Ria embraced and then each put an arm around their mother and walked to the church. On the steps of the church, Spike caught sight of Anisa's strawberry blonde hair shining in the sun. She was standing alone, at the entrance to the church. Little Tommy, who was still trying to understand the whole thing, leaped up the stairs and into Anisa's arms. She wrapped her arms around his tiny body, kissing the top of his head. Ria reached the door first and hugged Anisa firmly. Still holding little Tommy, who was twisting curls into her hair, Anisa embraced Mrs. Scarlatti kissing her cheek. CiCi smiled at Anisa and took the toddler from her arms, as Spike approached her.

Spike looked into her eyes and saw only love, warmth and kindness. He enfolded her in his arms pulling her body close to his. It felt comfortable, familiar...natural. They held each other for a moment. When they pulled back, Anisa saw the strain on Spike's handsome face. Looking into his eyes, she saw something else that she couldn't quite identify. It seemed to be a combination of sadness, fear and maybe guilt. She took his face in her hands and kissed his lips gently, tenderly, lovingly. The kiss was not a deep sensual kiss, but still Spike felt the skin all over his body tingle a little.

"Mike, you are a good man. You will not just get through this, you will make your father proud. You are the rock of this family. I know you are struggling with … a bunch of things. I want you to know that you are the most amazing man I have ever known and I will love you forever...no matter what," said Anisa punctuating the statement with a kiss.

Spike held her close and buried his face her in hair as he blinked away the tears. He loved her...he truly did. Anisa noticed the parking lot begin to fill up and knew that Spike should be in the church with his family.

"Hey sweetie," she said pulling away from him slightly. "You should probably get inside with your mom. Do you want me to stay out here to greet people?"

"No, stay with me," he pleaded, then turned leading her into the church.

The church was beautiful, filled with Italian marble, frescoes decorated the ceiling, statues representing the 14 stations of the cross lined the walls. The altar was ornate and surrounded by statues of the Holy Family and angels. It brought back many memories for Spike...his youth as an altar boy, receiving his sacraments, seeing his sister get married. He sat in the front row with Anisa on one side and his mother on the other. The church filled quickly and there was hardly an empty seat to be found.

The final few people were taking their seats before the mass began when Spike heard the clickity-clack of high heels walking down the center aisle. Gina genuflected at the front row before walking in front of the row to stand before Spike. She bent forwarded taking his face in her hands and kissed his cheeks, giving him an eyeful of her ample bosoms.

"Mike, honey, you are so brave and strong. Remember I am here for you, whatever you need," she said in a hushed tone. She then scanned the row as if looking for a place to sit, but seeing that it was filled with his family she simply said, "I'll wait for you in the back." As she left she glanced at Anisa and blinked at her dismissively. Anisa was good at outwardly masking her emotions, so Gina's snub had no visible impact on her, but she could feel her stomach clench.

The mass was a beautiful tribute to a well-loved man. Following the liturgical part of the mass, Spike got up to say a few words about his father. As he stood at the pulpit looking out at the filled church, he was reminded of the number of lives his father had touched. He began to feel his throat clench, so he was unable to speak. His eyes were drawn to Gina because she such a striking entity. He saw a minute smile appear on her lips and rather than find it strengthening, he found it unsettling. He finally tore his eyes from her and scanned other faces in the crowd. He saw Greg's warm brown eyes encouraging him. He inhaled then looked to the front row that held the women he loved, his sister, his mother and finally Anisa. She mouthed the words, "You can do this, I love you." He smiled and glanced at the notes he had brought up with him and then began. He spoke of his father's love for friends and family, his faith and integrity. He told anecdotes about his father that had the congregation chuckling then crying.

Spike ended his speech by saying, "My father touched all of our lives in some way, whether it was directly or through one of his family. I hope that one day I can be the type of man... and the type of father he was. Thank you all for coming." He took his seat again, as his mother kissed his cheek.

Anisa slid her hand into his and whispered in his ear "You are that type of man...you are a beautiful soul."

The family left the church first and climbed into the limousine. The procession drove to the cemetery, where the priest said a few more words and a prayer. He then allowed friends and family to say their final goodbyes. All were invited back to the Scarlatti home for a small reception.

As the group was leaving the cemetery, Greg and Ed approached Spike. Gently putting his arm around Spike's shoulder, Greg said, "Spike, you did your father proud today, as you do everyday."

"Thanks, Boss...his are some big shoes to fill," said Spike.

Ed chimed in, "Buddy you are filling them and then some."

"Thanks guys...really. It means a lot that you are here," said Spike earnestly.

Back at the Scarlatti house, Anisa was busy setting food out and greeting guests, allowing the Scarlattis time to rest and visit with friends. Team One was in the back yard talking with their Spike. Jules made her way into the kitchen to chat with Anisa.

"Hey," she said taking a platter from Anisa. "So, who was that tall brunette who was talking to Spike before the mass?"

"Oh, that is Gina. His old girlfriend,"explained Anisa trying to sound unfazed.

"Oooh..." said Jules, remembering Lou telling her once about a girl that destroyed Spike's heart years before. She knew that she was the reason that Spike had always been gun-shy about committing to women. "I don't like her," stated Jules while she placed cookies on a dish.

"Haha...me neither," chuckled Anisa.

"Why don't you just kick her ass?" asked Jules.

"Trust me...All I need is a good reason and I will," said Anisa.

There was a tentative knock on the door and Anisa excused herself to go answer it. Ria, however beat her to it. When she opened the door, there was a tall handsome man standing there who looked mildly familiar, but Ria couldn't place him.

Noting the confusion on Ria's face, Anisa said, "Hi Steve, this is Ria, Spike's sister."

"Hi, Anisa," he answered. Then locking eyes with Ria, he extended his hand and said, "Ria, I am very sorry for your loss. I'm sorry I wasn't able to make it to the mass, I was on shift."

Shaking his hand, she said not taking her eyes off of his, "Thank you, Steve. Please come in." She stepped aside allowing him entry.

Jules and Anisa exchanged glances and raised eyebrows at the non-verbal exchange between Ria and Steve. Jules broke the silence by saying, "Hi, Steve. Spike's out back. C'mon, I'll show you."

Spike was sitting in the backyard with Tony and Nick, his old high school buddies, and the rest of Team One. Steve went up to him and expressed his condolences. Meanwhile, Ria was looking out back through the kitchen window when Anisa returned to the kitchen.

"What are you looking at?"

"Uhh... nothing. Just wondering how does Mike know Steve?"

"He's a paramedic. He was the one who picked me up at your house that day I fell down the stairs."

"Oh yeah... that is why he looked so familiar. I just couldn't place him," she said with a little smile on her face.

"He is a great guy," said Anisa encouragingly. Handing her a plate of appetizers, she said, "Why don't you see if the folks outside might want a snack." Ria gave her a sly grin, took the plate and walked out the back door.

A short while later, Anisa was in the family room chatting with Sam and Jules when the front door opened and in walked Gina. Anisa felt an ache in her chest, but she stood tall and nodded her head in acknowledgment at Gina. Gina simply shrugged at her.

Spike and his friends were comfortably sitting in the back yard when Gina walked outside carrying a glass of wine.

"There you are Mike, honey," she said, as she entered the group and approached Spike. She made such an entrance, that all eyes were on her. Spike stood to greet her, as common courtesy dictated. She pulled him into an embrace. When Spike hugged her back and held her close all of those feelings came flooding back. He released her feeling confused.

"How are you doing?" she asked, making a show of gazing into his eyes.

"OK, I guess," he answered, still unsure of how to react.

Nick walked over to the two of them and said, "Hello, Gina." He tried to position himself between the two of them, but she wouldn't budge. "Haven't seen you in years. Are you still married to that stock broker?"

Her stare shot daggers at him, "No." Then turning to Spike, she said, "Marriage is such a sacred thing, it is tragic when it doesn't work out, don't you think. Mike?"

Nick rolled his eyes at her as Spike stepped between them and said, "I'm gonna get another beer, anyone need anything?"

He made his way into the kitchen and saw Anisa standing in the corner looking at him. He couldn't read the expression on her face. He walked over the refrigerator and took out a beer. And, not know that Gina had followed him into the kitchen, he nearly bumped right into her as he turned around. In the next instant, little Tommy flew into the room giggling, his hands and face covered in sticky chocolate icing. As the toddler approached Gina she shrieked and pulled out of his way, so as not to be touched by the sticky mess. Anisa smiled and swooped down, picking up the boy. Tommy was still giggling when he placed his chocolate covered hands on either side of her face, squeezing it and then kissed her transferring the chocolate from his face to hers. When he released her face, she had two distinct brown hand prints on her cheek and a layer of chocolate around her mouth.

"Let's get you washed up," she said carrying him to the kitchen sink.

Spike watched the reaction of the two women to his nephew and he couldn't help but smile at the way Anisa handled the toddler. The fact that her face was covered in chocolate didn't bother her in the least, which warmed Spike's heart. Once Tommy had been cleaned up, Anisa put him down and he scampered away. She took a wet cloth and began wiping her face clean, as she gaze out the window and saw Spike and Gina in the back yard.

Finally, people began trickling out until the only ones left were Ed, Greg, Gina and Spike in the back yard. Ria stood in the door way and beckoned Spike who stood and followed her back into the house. Gina stood to follow, but was suddenly blocked by Ed Lane's hulking figure.

"Excuse me," she said as she stared at his face.

"Uh...I don't think so," he said standing as a roadblock in front of her. Greg smirked as he watched the scene unfold.

"I would like to get by. Mike and his family might need me," she implored.

"I think you are the last thing this family needs right now," insisted Ed.

Gina stood tall and said, "I have known Mike much longer than you, I think I know better than you, what he needs." She tried to step around him.

Ed sidestepped to block her progress. Being a man of few words, Ed simply said, "Irrelevant and untrue."

* * *

While the stand off was taking place in the yard, Spike was saying good bye to his sister and her kids who were visibly exhausted.

"Mike, don't be an idiot...Gina is trouble and you know it."

"Not you, too! Geeze, Ria, maybe she has changed," said Spike with exasperation. "Besides, she is just being nice."

"Gina being nice ...that's an oxymoron," Ria countered. "I watched her suck you in, chew you up, spit you and then stomp on you. I don't want to see that again." And then, for emphasis, she grabbed his face so he had to look her in the eyes and said in a more gentle tone, "You have a lot to lose this time, Mike."

"Good night, Ri," Spike said trying to brush aside her warning as she left the house.

As Spike escorted his mom to her room and said good night, Anisa was cleaning up the house. She went outside and saw Ed and Gina facing off and stepped around them glancing at Greg, eyebrows raised in a question. Greg simply smirked and shrugged. She went over the the place where Spike had been sitting and counted seven beer bottles neatly lined up on the ground near his chair. Picking up as many as she could carry, she went back inside. When she went into the kitchen to deposit the bottles in the trash, she saw Spike open another bottle and begin to guzzle it.

"Hey, Mike, take it easy. Don't you think that maybe you have had enough?" said Anisa in a firm but gentle voice.

"Jesus! I am sick of everybody telling me what to do...NO I have not had too much and if I want another beer I will have another beer," he barked walking past her out into the yard where Gina was sitting.

Greg and Ed eyed the couple suspiciously wondering if they should stay to keep an eye on their friend. Spike gave them a look that said, 'don't worry, I'm fine.' Before he sat down, Spike embraced the two men and thanked them for coming. He told them how much their presence had meant to him and assured him that he was fine and would see them at work in a few days. Reluctantly, Greg and Ed left the Scarlatti household.

Anisa returned to the backyard with a glass of water and placed it on the ground next to Spike as she bent to pick up the remaining bottles on the ground. She then turned to Gina and said, "Would you mind helping me carry those glasses into the kitchen?" She nodded her head at some glasses on the table.

Sighing like a petulant teenager, Gina rose and picked up two glasses and followed Anisa into the kitchen. Anisa threw the bottles she was carrying in the trash. Then she turned on her heels and closed the distance between her and Gina in a split second.

"I don't know what game you are playing, Gina, but I am warning you, if you hurt Mike again, you will feel a fury rain down on you the likes of which you have never seen."

"Is that a threat?"

"No it is a promise."

Letting out a snide chuckle, she said looking down her nose at Anisa, "Is that what happened to you face? Haha...picking fights with people bigger than you? Not very bright..."

Anisa did not feel like glorifying that comment with a response, which allow Gina the opportunity continue her rant.

"Don't you think that Mike deserves a thoroughbred rather than a Shetland pony?" snarled Gina

"He deserves someone who will love him honestly for the man he i,s not what he might be able give her. Someone who would lay down her life just so he could be happy," said Anisa, standing her ground. "Word to the wise...when provoked, the Shetland pony is the meanest horse in the barn. It can take down a thoroughbred in seconds flat," Anisa stated assertively as she turned and walked out to yard.

Spike looked up from the bottle he was spinning in his hand aimlessly and saw Anisa and Gina approaching him. Gina's long legs took larger strides so she reached the seat next to Spike first and sat down placing her hand on his thigh.

Swallowing hard, Anisa looked directly at Spike and asked, "How are you doing, Mike? Did you eat something?"

"I'm fine," slurred Spike.

Gina gave a surly chuckle as she placed a hand on his chest and whispered in his ear, "Haha, she sure is bossy. Does she think you need another mother?"

Anisa couldn't hold back any longer, "Gina, have a little respect. Do you think this is the best time to be pawing my boyfriend? He just buried his father!" As soon as she said it, she regretted it, but it was too late.

"Would guys you cut it out?" barked Spike.

"Sorry, Mike. I know how you must feel right now ..." said Anisa empathetically.

Spike stood up, wobbling only slightly and said in a voice that was nearly a shout, "You DON'T know how I feel! I just buried my father...I watched my mentor and my best friend die. You don't know how I feel!"

His words stung Anisa to the core and momentarily paralyzed her with shock. She didn't know what to say in response, but Gina filled in the dead air.

"Of course not, Mike, how could she know what you are going through? How could she understand your loss?" she asked rhetorically.

Spike took a step away from the women and mumbled, "That's it, I'm out of here."

Anisa shook away her anger, "Mike, no...you can't drive." She knew that he was in no condition to drive.

"I am not going to sit here and listen to you two bitch at each other," Spike said, his words running together.

Anisa glanced at Gina with a panicked look. Not only was he intoxicated, but he was also emotionally distraught. Fearing for his safety, Anisa jumped up and said, "No, Mike I will go. You stay here...I don't want you to drive, so I will go."

She walked to him and kissed him on the cheek, in a emotion choked voice, she said softly, "I love you more than anything... no matter what."

Spike watched her walk into the house, his emotions all over the place. He was not able to make sense of what he was feeling. His best friend, his mentor and now his father were all dead. The woman, who at one time was the love of his life, was now reentering his life looking for something...a relationship? And then there was Anisa... He bowed his head and shoved his hands in his pockets.

Anisa was worried that Spike might be impaired enough to pick up his keys and try to drive somewhere, so she placed them in the back of the silverware drawer, as she left the house. She would call him in the morning and tell him where they were.

Just as Spike heard the front door close as Anisa left, Gina wrapped her arms around him and kissed his neck. The kiss set off a tingling sensation rippling through his body. His already befuddled brain was spinning and he felt like he might fall down.

"Mike, wanna go back to my place?" murmured Gina as she nibbled his ear.

He couldn't think …. "Uh... sure." he stumbled toward the door and into the kitchen looking for his keys. "Where are my keys?" he grumbled.

"I bet that witch took them. She doesn't trust you," snarled Gina.

"I guess so, maybe," said Spike feeling very confused, his brain was foggy.

"C'mon...I'll drive," said Gina placing her arm around him and guiding him to her car. During the twenty minute car ride to Gina's apartment, she kept a hand on his knee, as he stared out the window.

Periodically he would mumble, "Why would she do that? Why would she take my keys?"

"Mike honey, it's about trust. She obviously doesn't trust you. She was probably afraid that you might actually want to spend time with me...haha," chuckled Gina.

When they arrived at her apartment, Gina got Spike a beer and they sat down on the sofa. Spike decided to get reacquainted with Gina, so he asked her about her marriage. She explained that she and her husband had split up a couple of years ago. When he asked why, she glared at him and said, "Infidelity," and offered no further explanation nor any information on who had been unfaithful. He didn't press the issue, instead he rose to use the bathroom. When he came out he heard Gina call his name.

"Mike, I'm in here," she called. Spike stepped into her bedroom and found her standing near the doorway in her bra and panties... and what a sight that was. In no time, her lips were on his and her hands were unbuttoning his shirt. In a matter of seconds, his shirt was off and she was kissing his chest. Spike gave in to the physical sensation and was running his hands through her beautiful hair, as a slight moan escaped his lips. She kissed her way back up to his lips, as she slid his hands around to her breasts. Spike's brain was not functioning properly as he caressed her body, but something didn't feel right. Her breasts were firm yet supple, but...they didn't seem right. They were much fuller than...Anisa's. That thought crept into his brain just as Gina was unbuckling his belt.

* * *

**A/N**: I know I'm gonna have some readers raging on this part of the story, but ho well, it is my story. Either way, I hope you like it enough still to keep reading and see what happens next with Spike, Gina and Anisa.


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N: ** Thanks for reading and reviewing. I got some interesting comments after that last chapter. . I hope you like what I did with it and again please feel free to leave comments... good or bad (as long as you are courteous;)). This one picks up where the last one left off

**Disclaimer:** I wish I owned Flashpoint...but I don't :(

**Knowing Where You Need To Be**

**Chapter 35**

_Previously:_

"_Mike, I'm in here," called Gina. Spike stepped into her bedroom and found her standing near the doorway in her bra and panties... and what a sight that was. In no time, her lips were on his and her hands were unbuttoning his shirt. In a matter of seconds, his shirt was off and she was kissing his chest. Spike gave in to the physical sensation and was running his hands through her beautiful hair as a slight moan escaped his lips. She kissed her way back up to his lips as she slid his hands around to her breasts. Spike's brain was not functioning properly as he caressed her body, but something didn't feel right. Her breasts were firm yet supple, but...they didn't seem right. They were much fuller than...Anisa's. That thought crept into his brain just as Gina was unbuckling his belt. _

He squeezed his eyes shut as he tried to clear his mind. _"This is not right..."_ was the first lucid thought he had since he got there. He heard his father's voice say to him, _"You are a good man, you must behave like one."_

"Wait!...No!...Stop!" he said as he tried to pull away from Gina.

Gina held onto his belt buckle and tugged him closer, mumbling, "C'mon, baby...I know you want this. Remember how hot it used to be?" This time when she kissed him, he felt nothing. There was no tingling, not shivers of desire.

Pushing her away with a bit more force, Spike took a step, backing out of the room and said, "No, Gina, stop! I can't do this. It's not right."

"Mikey, you can't tell me it doesn't feel good..." she persisted taking a step toward him. "We both know you want this." As she said that, she lowered the straps of her bra revealing her naked breasts to him.

Spike lowered his eyes and shook his head, as if to clear it, then said, "No Gina, I don't want this. I'm sorry, I don't want you. I don't know what I was thinking coming here. I love Anisa...I have to go."

He bent to pick up his shirt and turned to leave, as he heard her say, "I can't believe you would chose that midget troll over me." As he closed the door to her apartment, he heard her say, "She's hideous, with all of those scars."

He walked into the cool night air, Gina's final words ringing in his head. He thought to himself, _"Each of those scars cost her something and made her who is."_ He sat on a bench at a bus stop breathing in the cool Toronto air.

It was too late for the buses to be running and he hadn't brought his wallet, so he had no money for a cab. He could walk home, but in his current, inebriated state, it might take him a few hours. He wished to hell that he had not had so much to drink. He couldn't think straight and hadn't been all evening. _"What have I done?!"_ Spike's mind was beginning to clear. He thought about all that he and Anisa had been through together...TJ Ward, Natalie Braddock, the loss of their baby. Then he thought about what he had said to her … about her not knowing how he felt when his father died. Of course she understood how he felt, she had lost both of her parents, her whole family, and her husband. How could he have been so cruel?

Spike pondered who to call and decided that he could use Greg's advice, so he dialed his Boss's number.

"Hey Spike, you OK?"

"Yeah, I guess, I don't know," he answered truthfully. "Boss, you know how you told me to call you if I needed to talk?"

"Yeah... what's up?"

"I did something really stupid tonight and I don't think I can fix it," said Spike.

"Spike, are you drunk?" asked Greg noticing the slight slurring in his speech.

"Uhh... yeah..." he admitted.

"You didn't get behind the wheel, did you?" asked Greg trying to hide the worry in his voice.

"No...well, I almost did, but no,I didn't."

"What is it then, Spike?"

"I went home with Gina. Remember her?"

"Yes, I remember. OK, so why are you calling me at this hour of the night if you are with her?" Greg was a little confused.

"I'm not...I left."

Greg rubbed is forehead trying follow what Spike was saying, "Spike you're not making any sense"

"Boss, I went back to her place," said Spike rubbing his hand through his hair. "I don't know what I was thinking...Maybe I was thinking that it would be better to be with someone who didn't put their life in jeopardy everyday...or maybe I thought that I should give it another try with Gina." Then sighing in disgust he added, "Maybe I just wanted to get laid. I don't know!"

"So … did you? Get laid I mean?" asked Greg hoping to understand the situation a little better.

"Well, no...I left. I somehow came to my senses. But, Boss, I think I really screwed things up with Anisa. I don't know what came over me...That isn't like me, at least, it wasn't like me."

"No it doesn't really sound like you, but you were inebriated and you have had a very emotional few weeks. All of these things can impair judgment," said Greg calmly.

"Ughh..." muttered Spike. "I can't believe how badly I screwed things up. I said some awful things to Anisa, too." Sighing, Spike said, "And I can't believe I am telling all of this to my boss..."

"Spike, right now, I am your friend, first. I think that you have some repair work to do, but I don't think it is irreparable. What is your plan?"

"Plan? I don't really have a plan...I guess, apologize and beg for forgiveness."

"Not a bad start. I think you should try to understand why you left with Gina and remember that honesty is always the best way to go, even if it leads to an undesired outcome."

"Yeah...but that's just it. I don't really know why I did it. I don't have feelings for her, if I never saw her again I would be fine with that." He paused for a moment to think. "Maybe, it was anger...fear."

"Fear? How so?"

"I don't know exactly...maybe anger at losing those my dad and Lou and fear of losing Anisa, of going through that pain again. I'm not saying it is a rational thought process." Spike sighed, "Maybe I thought that if I were with Gina, she would always be safe. I could keep her safe. And not have to go through that pain of someone I love dying, again. But when I was with Gina...it was..wrong, it felt wrong...I just didn't want to be there."

"Spike, as much as we try, we can't always keep them safe. Things happen beyond our control. Maybe the lesson here is that we should make every moment we have with our loved ones count," offered Greg, hoping his friend could begin to believe in himself again.

"Yeah, you're probably right. I just hope she will give me another chance, you know forgive me for being... a jack ass."

"Have you talked to her?"

"No."

"Maybe you should call her...in the morning. Tell her the truth and see what happens."

"Yeah, maybe you're right. But after the way I behaved, I am not sure I deserve Anisa...she deserves better than me."

"Spike...you need to sleep this off. You know why?" then, without giving him a chance to answer, Greg continued, "There is no-one better than you. Talk to her and let her decide."

"I don't know about that, but I will call her in the morning. Thanks Boss."

"Do you need me to come get you?" asked Greg concerned about his friend.

"Nah. I think the cool air will do me some good. Thanks again, Boss," said Spike hanging up. He sat staring at the night sky letting the crisp Toronto air clear his head. He tried to make sense of his actions and formulate an apology that might show Anisa that he truly loved her. He felt the tears trickle down his face before he even realized he was crying.

He held his phone in his hand, wondering what to do and contemplating walking home, just as it buzzed with a text message...from Anisa.

"_**Hope you are safe. Love you."**_

She was awake! And without hesitation, he dialed her number. She answered immediately and before she could even say hello, Spike sputtered "I'm so sorry. I...I...love you, too."

"Mike...are you alright?!" she asked frantically noting the desperate tone in his voice. Hearing cars in the background she asked, "Where are you? Please tell me you didn't drive..."

"No...I couldn't, you took my keys," he explained.

"I didn't take your keys. I put them in the drawer, and hoped you wouldn't find them," she explained

"Of course you did," Spike chuckled through a slight sob.

"Mike, honey, where are you? Are you alright? Are you in trouble?" she was starting to get worried.

"I'm OK, a little drunk...a lot drunk. I'm at bus stop,"

"A bus stop? Why? It's too late for the buses to be running, isn't it? Where were you going?" Anisa was completely confused.

"Nowhere. I just sat down here to try to figure some things out. Was gonna call a cab, but I don't have my wallet," he explained.

"I'll come get you. Just tell me where you are."

He told her the cross streets as she climbed into her car. He knew it would take her about 15 minutes to get there, so he tried to desperately regain his composure and develop with a suitable apology. The latter proved to be an elusive task.

Spike was still trying to formulate a satisfactory explanation for his behavior when her car pulled up to the bus stop. He watched her jump out and run over to him, just as he started to stand. He was a little wobbly, so she put her arm around his waist to support him. Spike noticed she was wearing her beat up old sweats that were so ugly they were sexy, at least to him.

"'Nis... I am so sorry for..." he started but was interrupted by Anisa.

"Hey, Mike, it's OK. Let's just get you home and then we can talk about it if you want," she said helping him into the car.

The car was silent with Anisa concentrating on the road and Spike sitting in the passenger seat staring at his hands like a little boy who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Anisa glanced over at him and saw his face riddled with guilt and shame. She reached over and took his hand in hers and held it tight as they drove toward his house. She let go as they pulled up in front of his house and they both got out of the car. Spike shoved his hands into his pockets, as he shuffled to the door with Anisa following behind. He found the hidden key they kept under the planter and let them in. The house was eerily quiet as they entered. Spike stopped and stood in the family room trying to find his emotional footing. Anisa gently took him by the hand and led him into the kitchen and sat him at the table. She poured two glasses of water and took a seat across from him at the table. For the first time they looked into each others eyes, the harsh light of the kitchen not doing either of them any favors.

Spike looked at her face and noticed that her eyes were red and swollen and there were stains on her cheeks from dried tears. He looked down into his glass not able to look at her face, knowing that he was responsible for the tears that had left those mark.

Anisa sat quietly, noticing his eyes were red and puffy. There was deep sadness in those eyes and she would do anything to take away the pain he was suffering. She reached across the table and gently touched his hand drawing his eyes back to hers.

Spike's voice cracked when he began to speak, "I don't know what to say...except...I'm sorry...I was drunk and emotionally distraught and exhausted. I didn't know what I was doing or thinking or saying." Anisa sat back in her chair quietly listening to him babble out a vague apology. When he had finished he looked at her, sitting silently chewing on her lower lip. "Aren't you going to say anything? Please say something."

Anisa attempted a weak smile, as she steeled herself to ask a question to which she wasn't sure she wanted to hear the answer. "Why were you at the bus stop? Where did you go?"

Just hearing the question felt like a punch in the gut because he knew the answer would hurt her. He swallowed his entire glass of water in a single gulp then glanced up at her face, his eyes zeroing in on the scar just above her eye. Then looking back down at his hands, he said softly, "I went home with Gina." Silence...

Hearing Spike say the words was like a dagger in her heart. She controlled her breathing which managed to keep her tears at bay, but she couldn't bring her eyes to look at him. Instead, she simply nodded her head gravely, as she processed the implications of what he had just said. The silence was deafening and Spike couldn't take it any more.

"I...we didn't do anything. I came to my senses before anything happened and I left, you have to believe me," he pleaded.

Looking at him with a dubious expression she asked, "Why did you go there in the first place?" Her eyes locked with his.

Spike swallowed hard before he attempted to explain, "I...I'm not really sure. I wasn't thinking very clearly and my emotions were kind of all over the place and I was drunk. I'm not using that as an excuse ….there is no excuse for my behavior." Spike hung his head again trying to stave off the tears that were filling his eyes. "But all I could do was think of you."

"So you are in the apartment of your stunningly beautiful ex-girlfriend, who is obviously trying to get you back...and you are thinking of me? You mean to tell me nothing happened?" said, Anisa incredulously.

Spike felt like a little boy sitting in front of the principal after he was caught necking on the playground. He rubbed his hands over his face before telling her what happened after he went to the bathroom, "Well... she tried to seduce me and...honestly, part of me wanted to let her, but..." he bent his head choking back tears. He continued through muffled sobs, "...but when we kissed it was wrong...It felt wrong and I know it sounds stupid, but the truth is that it didn't feel like ….you...like us." Spike's efforts to hold back the tears failed and they flowed freely, as the realization that he probably had just ruined his relationship forever, hit him hard.

Anisa breathed slowly as she listened to him tell the story. She wanted to believe him but they were both exhausted and needed sleep.

"Come on, Mike, you need some rest," said Anisa standing and extending a hand to Spike. He quietly stood and took her hand as she led him out of the kitchen and toward the stairs. At the bottom of the steps, he turned to face her. He felt broken and all he wanted to do was to hold her and feel his lips on hers.

"Will you stay here tonight?" he asked weakly.

Shaking her head, she said softly, "No, Mike. I think tonight we could both could use some distance. We both have some thinking to do, don't you think?"

"Can I ask you a question?" said Spike.

"Sure."

"You didn't seem surprised that I went to Gina's, were you?"

"No, not really. I was surprised when you called me though," she answered honestly.

"So, if you knew that I left with Gina, why did you come get me?" He asked, completely confused.

Her look softened as she said, "Mike, we started out as friends first … and no matter what I will always be your friend. You were stuck at a bus stop, late at night, with no money. You needed some help. That's what friends do, we take care of each other."

Hearing the word_ "friend_" scared Spike.."Does that mean that it is over...between us?" asked Spike with dread.

Looking into his eyes, Anisa said, "I don't know what it means, except that we could each use a good night's sleep, OK? I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"OK," said Spike. "Are you working tomorrow?"

"No...It's Saturday," smiled Anisa.

"Oh yeah, I kinda lost track days," answered Spike. "Thanks...for … everything."

"You're welcome. See ya," she said, as she walked out the door.

* * *

When Anisa walked into her apartment she saw a plate of cookies and a note sitting on her living room table. She smiled because she knew who it was from before she opened the note.

_Anisa,_

_I don't know what has you so upset, but homemade chocolate chip cookies will make you feel better. Everybody makes mistakes, but true love will triumph above adversity. Take if from someone who was married for 42 years, forgiveness is a gift for both sides. _

_Love,_

_Mrs. C._

Anisa smiled as she munched on a cookie and thought about the events of the day. She scanned her living room and saw books and papers all over the floor, lamps knocked over and a side table overturned. This was evidence that she did not always have perfect control over her emotions. When she had returned home from Spike's, after the reception, she was upset, angry and hurt and she had taken it out on her furnishings. Mrs. Cleary must have heard the commotion and, knowing Anisa like a daughter, assumed that she and Spike had had a fight.

She thought about what had happened, how Spike had behaved and the things he had said. She thought about him with Gina in her apartment and her seducing him. But he said that Gina hadn't succeeded and he had left. He hadn't given any specific details about that part of the story. Anisa believed him...he had told her the truth about everything else, right? After a yawn, she gave up trying figure out what Spike was thinking and what they should do and decided to concentrate on her feelings. She got up from the sofa, went into her bedroom and climbed into bed to begin sorting through her own emotions.

She loved him, but could she forgive him. His actions and words had been hurtful, but he had apologized and told her he loved her. Could she believe him? As she closed her eyes, her phone buzzed with a text message... from Spike.

"**Thank you for being there when I needed you. I love you... more than anything," **said Spike.

"**I love you, too," **answered Anisa.

As she closed her eyes, she thought about her feelings for him. She loved him...no matter what. She fell asleep to that thought.

* * *

A/N: So what did you think about what Spike did? How about Anisa's reaction? Let me know.


	36. Chapter 36

**A/N: ** So, after reading some of my reader's reviews, I changed my direction a little. I hope you like where I went with it. Thanks for all of the reviews.

**Disclaimer:** I wish I owned Flashpoint...but I don't :(

* * *

**Knowing Where You Need To Be**

**Chapter 36**

Spike woke early the next morning and went down to put on a pot of coffee, but his mother had beaten him to it. On the table, sat a glass of water, two aspirin and a cup of coffee. She was at the stove making eggs.

"Buongiorno, Mamma," said Spike sitting down.

"Buongiorno, Michelangelo," greeted his mother. "Take those aspirin, your head must be killing you."

"It's not that bad," said Spike rubbing his head gently.

His mother placed a plate of eggs in front him and sat down with a cup of coffee looking at her son. Her eyes boring deep into his soul.

"What, Ma?" asked Spike.

"She loves you, you know."

"Who?"

"Anisa."

Hanging his head, he nodded, "Yeah, I know."

"It's not too late," persisted his mother. "Tell her how you feel."

"I did, last night, but I don't know if she believes me."

"I know you did, but tell her again," she said. Spike raised his eyebrows questioningly, wondering how she knew. She continued, "Tell her and show her again and again, until she believes you. Make her believe you!" Spike nodded his head, as he finished his eggs.

"How do you always know what I do? Do you have this house bugged?"

His mother smiled and replied, "It is my job to know what goes on in my house. Besides, these walls are thin. You would be surprised what I hear." She had a mischievous grin on her face as she walked out of the kitchen.

Spike thought about what she said and his eyebrows shot up at all of the things that she must have heard over the years. _ "Note to self: Never fool around in the house when Ma is home."_ He washed his dishes and went to have a shower.

Spike descended the stairs equipped with one basic plan...apologize profusely and beg for forgiveness. Repeat if necessary! He hoped that if he implemented this plan with no end time, he might eventually get through to her. If he had to, he would wear her down until she gave him another chance, just to shut him. It was the best he could come up with.

"Michelangelo?" his mother called. "Could you come here, please? I need your help with something"

Spike trotted to his Mother's room to see what she needed. "What's up, Ma?"

"Can you help get that down for me?" she asked, pointing to a lock box that was on a shelf in her closet.

"Sure," he said reaching for the box and taking it down for her. Setting it on the bed, Mrs. Scarlatti took out a key and opened it. Spike stood there not sure if she wanted him to stay or not. He watched as she reached in and withdrew a small box.

"Mikey, sit down. I want to show you something," she instructed. Spike took a seat on the bed next to her, as she opened the small box. She smiled, looking at what was revealed inside, then closed the box and looked into her son's eyes.

"You will go see Anisa today?" said Mrs. Scarlatti.

"Yes, I was on my way over there now."

She nodded her head then continued, "Good." She then took her son's hand in hers a looking into his eyes she said, "She loves you, you know." She paused before continuing, "Your father's last wish was for you two to marry. She is good for you."

Spike bowed his head feeling ashamed that he may have destroyed any chance of fulfilling his father's dying wish. "I know, Ma," he agreed somberly.

She handed him the small box she had been holding and said, "This was your Nonna's. If you think that Anisa will like it, I would be happy for you to give it to her."

Spike opened the tiny box revealing a beautiful diamond solitaire in an antique setting. The diamond wasn't huge, probably a little less than a carat set in platinum with filigree engraving. Its low profile would be ideal, since Anisa used her hands so much. Spike looked at his mother with a stunned expression.

"Ma, it's beautiful, she will love it. But you don't need to do this. It yours, it was your mother's."

"Your sister has your other Nonna's ring and I have no need for this one. I would like to see it on Anisette's hand...It doesn't belong on any other hand." She looked at him with gentle eyes.

"Ma, I ...I … what if she says no?"

"She won't."

He tilted his eyes questioningly, "What if she does?"

"Mikey, she loves. You just have to trust that."

"I can't do it now. I have to … clear things up with her first and then we'll have to see..." Spike said skeptically.

Mrs. Scarlatti nodded and then said, "Yes, it must be the right time. But don't wait too long."

The two sat quietly together for a moment before Mrs. Scarlatti said, "It is old fashioned... do you think she will even like it?"

Spike smiled warmly and said, "I think she will love it, especially because it is from you. It's all about family for her. Thanks Ma. I love you." He slipped the box into his jacket pocket, kissed her on the forehead and headed for the door.

"I love you, too. Good luck" she said to him as he walked out the door.

* * *

Knock, knock, knock.

Anisa was roused from her sleep by persistent knocking on her door. She looked at her clock and it said 8:00. She wasn't expecting anyone... she rolled out of bed and grabbed her gun and went to her door.

"Who is it?"

"It's me," said Spike tentatively.

She looked through the peephole then opened the door wide.

In her sleepy morning voice she said, "Mike...what are you doing here at the crack of dawn?"

"It's not the crack of dawn...it's 8:00," he said stepping into her apartment. Then his eyes notice the gun in her hands and his eyebrows shot up.

"Oh, sorry... I wasn't expecting anyone. Just habit," she explained putting the weapon down. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she said, "So why are you here?"

"I'm here because I am clear headed and I want to apologize for my behavior over the last few days...the things I did and the things I said," asserted Spike.

"OK, I think I need some coffee before we have this conversation," she mumbled leading the way to the kitchen.

Spike followed her, noticing for the first time that her apartment was in complete disarray. "Whoa, what the hell happened in here? Are you OK?" asked Spike wondering if someone had broken into her apartment.

Stepping over a book on the floor, Anisa chuckled a reply, "Haha, yeah, I'm fine. When I left you and Gina alone at your place yesterday... let's just say that Sparky showed up. And we both know that she has a bit of an anger management problem." She was referring to her volatile alter ego. Anisa entered the kitchen and began to prepare the coffee pot when she turned and saw Spike's expression. His face was riddled with guilt over the mention of him and Gina. She continued, "Good thing the rational me can still control Sparky...it's all fine." She hoped that would set his mind at ease a little.

Spike walked over to the refrigerator and placed the bag he had been carrying into the freezer. Anisa was slowly waking up.

"What's that?" she asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

"Ice cream. A wise woman once said that 'ice cream makes everything better'."

Again, Anisa chuckled, as Spike quoted her mother's favorite line. "Wise indeed. But it's only 8:00 in the morning."

"And?" smirked Spike.

"Haha, good point," laughed Anisa pouring two cups of coffee and handing one to Spike who took one sip and put the cup down.

"Anisa, you are the most incredible woman I have ever known. I let my fear of losing you consume me. I did and said some hurtful things to you because of that fear and I am sorry," he began. "I said that you couldn't understand what I was feeling with the loss of my dad," Spike said leveling his eyes with hers, "but you, of all people, know exactly how I feel. I'm sorry."

"Mike..." she started, before Spike put his hand up to stop her.

"Please, I'm not finished. Then there is the Gina thing...In the back of my mind, I think I knew that you still had some insecurities about her, but I gave that no thought. Instead, I let her actions and attention confuse me, which I should never have done. I should have been stronger...more like you." He hung his head, "I know I have caused you so much pain and I am so sorry. If I could erase the last two days, I would, or even just start them over, so I could make different choices, I would."

Again, Anisa tried to interject, but was stopped, "Mike, honey..."

"Wait, OK? I'm almost finished and I have to get all of this out. I realized last night that I love you more than life and I don't want to live with out you," said Spike resolutely. "I know that I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I am asking for it...begging for another chance. I will do anything you ask me to do to win your love back."

Anisa put down her cup and looked into his eyes and waited a moment to be sure he was finished. "Mike, you have had my heart since that first awkward kiss outside the goose," she said taking a step closer to him and touching his face. "Thank you for your apologies and, as a good friend recently told me, 'forgiveness is a gift for both sides'." Anisa raised herself up on her toes and touched her lips to his. Pulling his head a little closer, she deepened the kiss. Breathing into the kiss, Spike felt his heart beat through his lips. Her lips were a perfect fit for his. He placed his hands lightly on her waist, not wanting to assume too much.

After a beautiful kiss, Anisa said, "Can I ask you a question?"

Holding her loosely in his arms, he answered, "Anything."

"Will you tell me the truth?" she asked.

Spike immediately released her and stepped back a step, leaning against counter. He looked at her square in the eyes and said solemnly, "Yes, I promise to tell you the truth... not matter what you ask."

"You kissed her, right?"

Spike nodded, dropping his eyes from hers, as he said, "Yes."

Anisa leaned against the counter facing him and picked up her coffee. After taking a sip, she said, "Did anything else happen?"

Spike could feel his hands begin to shake, so he shoved them into his jacket pocket to still them. He was trying to formulate an honest answer that would not hurt her more than he already had. He decided to simply give her the plain truth.

He inhaled deeply before beginning, "Yes, I guess. This is what happened, when we were at her place, I went to the bathroom and when I came out of the bathroom, she was in her room. She was in her bra and underwear." He looked down, finding it hard to look her in the eyes. "She came over and kissed me and … I kissed her back." He paused a moment, trying to get the nerve to tell her the rest. "Um...then she put my hands on her breasts," he mumbled, and he pulled his hands from his pockets and rubbed his face, as tears threatened his eyes.

When she said nothing, he took his hands away from his face and looked at her. Her arms were wrapped around her waist and she had sucked her upper lip into her mouth and was gnawing on it, in an effort to stifle her emotions. She was looking directly at him. He knew he needed to say more, but was afraid that the truth would not sound genuine.

Looking her in the eyes, he said, "But it was wrong...it felt wrong. I stopped and stepped away. I told her I didn't love her. I told her I loved you and I left." Spike put his hands back into his pockets. He turned the ring box over in his hand, as he waited for her reaction. He felt his throat contractin,g as the seconds ticked by in anticipation of her response.

Anisa felt as though she had been kicked in the stomach at the revelation that Spike had not only kissed Gina, but she had been nearly naked at the time. Anisa unconsciously crossed her hands over her chest noting that, like the rest of her, her breasts were petite. Then the image of Gina's ample bosom, which she flashed in front of Spike at the church, ran through her mind. Anisa pinched her eyes closed at the image of Spike with his hands on them. Her mind was reeling.

Spike watched her close her eyes and his heart ached for her and for them. He knew she was visualizing him with Gina and there was nothing he could do get that image out her mind. He would have to wait for her to make the next move. Internally, he pleaded for her to say something...anything.

She opened her eyes, staring at the floor and then out the window. Looking anywhere but at Spike. _"But he is here, with me. He didn't stay with Gina,"_ she repeated in her mind. That gave her the strength to look at him. Gazing into his eyes, she saw regret, but she also saw love, true and pure. She squeezed her arms around he chest tighter and chewed her lip even more.

Spike couldn't take it any more, so he pleaded gently, "Say something, please. Scream at me. Tell me you hate me. Ask me to leave. Punch me ….hit me... Please...What are you thinking?"

She stood up straight and said, "I'm thinking... I need a walk." She walked purposefully out of the kitchen, stepped into a pair of shoes sitting by her door and then closed the door behind her.

* * *

A/N: I know it was mean of me to leave this chapter like this, but, oh well. Let me know what you think.


End file.
